


The Mad Man, the Witch, and a Blue Box

by crazhetalia



Series: The Time Witch Chronicles [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Mistress of Death Female!Harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2018-04-02 09:12:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 70,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4054525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazhetalia/pseuds/crazhetalia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some changes, you never wanted and some are just what you need. I'm not sure what my change will lead to, but I'll keep running for my mad man in a blue box. Female!Harry. Second in the Time Witch Chronicles</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Christmas Invasion

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Harry Potter or Doctor Who

The Doctor took a couple steps towards me, I quickly stumble back from him almost tripping down the ramp. He paused, a frown working across his lips.

"Jessamine?" He asked me, confusion coloring his voice. When I didn't say anything he took a few more steps. Taking more steps back until there wasn't anymore space to walk back in, my back pressed against the doors of the TARDIS. A hurt look began to take hold of his face, "Jessamine, it's me ,the Doctor." He walked over until he was at the top of the ramp. Panic began to sink in, I looked for ways to escape and get to my room. The moment he lift his foot to walk down the ramp, I freaked.

"Stay away!" I cried in panicking fear. He froze in his spot, his eyes wide with hurt and mouth open in shock. Tears began to flow from my eyes, I sank to the floor bring my knees to my chest. "Your not real. Your dead, your dead." I cried into my legs. I felt him pull me to his chest and hold onto me tight. I tried to fight him to get out of his embrace. "Let go! Let me go, Crouch!" I pushed him off of me with enough force to send him backwards.

"Crouch?" I stare at him, "Jessamine, I'm the Doctor. The first trip I took you on was to the end of the world. You told me about how you were the only one left of your kind, about your husband, son, and your brother. It's me, the Doctor!" The fear and panic started to slowly fade, leaving me exhausted.

"Doctor?" I asked tiredly, he nodded his head quickly.

"Yes, it's me." he knelt down in front of me.

"You . . ." I paused, meeting eyes with him for a moment.

"What?" He asked me.

"You look like Barty Crouch Jr." He gave me a confused look, "My fourth year of Hogwarts, he tried to get me killed." I whispered to him. Understanding washed over him, he nodded his head again, this time sadly. I slowly stood up watching him as he stood with me.

"Right, well, that make sense on why you were frighten." he took a few steps away from me. I simply nodded before skittering around him and moving over to the console. The TARDIS violently shuddered, making me grasp onto the console while the Doctor held on to the railing. A few moments later, the engines stopped. The Doctor throws the doors open and peers out.

"Here we are, then! London! Earth! The Solar System! We did it!" He calls back to me before stumbling out of the TARDIS. I stay at the console, trying to stay calm and figure out what to do while the Doctor was outside doing who knows what. I hear a loud thump from outside and rush out of the TARDIS and notice the Doctor on the ground.

"What happened? Is he all right?" I asked looking up at Mickey, Rose, and mum.

"I don't know, he just keeled over! But who is he? Where's the Doctor?" Mickey asked me.

"That's him. Right in front of you. That's the Doctor." I told them.

"What d'you mean, "that's the Doctor"? Doctor who?" Rose asked, confused. The Doctor lies on the ground, very still as if he were dead. Mickey helped me get the Doctor off the ground and into my mum's flat. Laying him on my bed, mum shooed us out while she changed him into some pyjamas. She called me back in and I helped her tuck him in. I sat on the edge of my bed looking at him when mum left. She returns a few moments later, holding a stethoscope. She hands it to me and sits on the bed next to me.

"Here we go. Tina the Cleaner's got this lodger, medical student. And she was fast asleep, so I just took it." I rolled my eyes as I put the stethoscope into my ears. "Though, I still say we should take him to a hospital." I take it out again.

"We can't. They'd lock him up and dissect him. A bottle of his blood could change everything." Mum opens her mouth to say something. "No! Shush!" Mum stops. I put the stethoscope back in my ears and place it on one side of the Doctor's chest. I heard a steady heartbeat, then I place it on the other side and heard the same. "Both working."

"What d'you mean 'both'?" Mum asked.

"He's got two hearts." I said while taking the stethoscope out of my ears.

"Oh, don't be stupid." She said contemptuously.

"He does." I get up and go to the door.

"Anything else he's got two of?" I turn back to her, glaring.

"Leave him alone and take this back." I all but bite out, thrusting the stethoscope at her and stomp out of the room. I head for the kitchen and open the fridge, taking out a pork pie.

"How can he go changing his face?" I close the fridge door. "Is that a different face or is he a different person?" Mum kept asking.

"Both!" I shouted with frustrated before pausing. "Sorry." I said, guiltily. She nods. "I keep forgetting he's not human." I sniffed holding back my tears. I take mum's hand. "The big question is, where'd you get a pair of men's pyjamas from?"

"Howard's been staying over!" I heard Rose call from the living room. I turned to mum in shock, watching her as she walked away.

"What, Howard from the market? How long's that been going on?" I asked her.

"A month or so. First of all, he starts delivering to the door, and I thought, 'that's a bit odd'. Next thing you know, it's a bag of oranges." I smile as mum prattles on about her beau.

"Jessa!" I turn to the direction Rose was yelling from. I look back to mum.

"I'm so happy for you, mum." I give her a hug, sighing when I hear Rose yell for me again. "I better go see what she wants. You'll have to tell me the rest later okay?" Mum smiled and nodded. I head to the living room and raise an eyebrow at my little sister, all she does is point at the TV. I turn my head to is and stare in shock as Harriet Jones appears on screen.

"What's Harriet Jones doing on the telly?" I asked Rose as I sat down beside her.

"She's the Prime Minister." She told me. I smile incredulously. Mum joins us, standing in the archway.

"I'm eighteen quid a week better off." I turn to mum. "They're calling it 'Britain's Golden Age'. Keep on saying "my Jessa has met her"." I laugh and shook my head.

"Did more than that. Stopped World War Three with her." I smiled and turn back to the telly.

"Harriet Jones — what about those calling the Guinevere One Space Probe a wast of money?" A man asked her.

"Now, that's where you're wrong. I completely disagree if you don't mind." I chuckle. "The Guinevere One Space Probe represents this country's limitless ambition. British workmanship sailing up there among the stars." A man takes her place on the stand.

"This is the spirit of Christmas, birth and rejoicing, and the dawn of a new age, and that is what we're achieving fifteen million miles away." I sighed and turned the telly off. I put my head in my hands, trying to figure out what to do.

"Jessa?" I lifted my head and looked towards Mickey. "Why don't we go window shopping?" I nodded, getting up from the couch and went to get my jacket. I glance at my door and stood there, watching it. I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. "We can stay if you want." I look to Mickey then to the door.

"No, I need to get out. He'll be find with mum and Rose." I said and walked out of the flat with Mickey behind me. We walked down the street crowded with Christmas shoppers.

"So, er, what d'you need?" Mickey asked awkwardly. I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't have any money to buy gifts and I wasn't about to take Mickey's money for some.

"I forgot about Christmas. I forgot about a lot of things while being in the TARDIS." I turn to Mickey, "Birthday's, Christmas's, they just don't exist in the TARDIS. You feel timeless until you step out of that fantastic blue box."

"Oh, yeah, that's fascinating, 'cos I love hearing stories about the TARDIS. Oh, go on Jessa, tell us another one 'cos I — wow, I could listen to it all day. TARDIS this, TARDIS that." Mickey sassed.

"Shut up." I rolled my eyes, smiling.

"Oh! One time, in a biiiig yellow garden, full of balloons." Mickey said in a high pitch voice.

"I don't sound like that!" I laughed.

"Oh, you so do." He laughed with me.

"Must drive you mad. I'm surprised you haven't given up on me." I told him.

"Oh, that's the thing, isn't it? You can rely on me. I don't go changing my face." My mood suddenly turn solemn again.

"It's not his fault." I whispered. I look up to Mickey. "He was dying, it was the only choice he had." Mickey stopped and grabbed my hand.

"Let's just let it be Christmas. Could you do that? Just for a bit. You and me, and Christmas. No Doctor, no bog-monsters, no life or death." I nodded in agreement.

"Okay." Mickey nods.

"Right! What're you gonna get for your mum?" We start walking again. I look behind us, distracted as Mickey starts talking again. "I'm round there all the time now, you know. She does my dinner on a sunday . . . talks about you all afternoon, yap yap yap yap yap . . ." I wasn't really listening. I look back at the brass band of masked Santas, who are playing "Good Tidings of Comfort and Joy". I was getting a bad vibe from them. I gaze at them for a long moment. Suddenly, their trumpets are revealed to be flame throwers, blue flame shoots out of them, and people run around screaming. The Santas start blasting around, and there's a lot of commotion. We duck behind a stall.

"It's us. They're after us." I told Mickey just as the Santas blast the stall we were hiding behind. "Shit!" I screamed while pulling Mickey up. We ran, the blasting of the Santas pursuing us. One of the blasts catches the enormous Christmas three instead, and it falls to the ground on top of one of the Santas. Its mask clatters to the ground.

"What's going on? What've we done? Why are they after us?" Mickey asked me frantically. I pick up the mask, taking it with me and drag Mickey down the street.

"I don't think it's truly after us." I look down at the mask then to Mickey. "Their after the Doctor." A taxi draws up. "Taxi!" I called and we got in.

"I can't even go shopping with you. We get attacked by a brass band." Mickey whines as the taxi drives off. I roll my eyes and tap mums number into my mobile. "Who're you phoning?" I put the phone to my ear.

"Mum." It keeps ringing. "Get off the phone!" I exclaimed exasperatedly, putting my phone away.

"Who were . . . those Santa things?" Mickey asked. I hold up the mask.

"No idea. They were only after us because we have the Doctor." I told him. The taxi pulls up and we jump out, running towards the flats. We burst into the flat finding mum on the phone.

[So, save us a chipolata . . .] I rolled my eyes at my mother.

"Get off the phone!" I told her.

"It's only Bev! She says hello." I grab the phone from her.

[Bev? Yeah — look, it'll have to wait.] I hang up and look at Mickey, Rose, and mum. "It's not safe. We've got to get out of here. Any ideas on where we can go?" I asked them.

"My mate Stan, he'll put us up." Mickey said.

"That's only two streets away." Rose told me. I turn to mum.

"What about Mo? Where's she living now?" I asked her.

"I dunno! Peak District!" I nodded.

"Cousin Mo's it is, then." Mum put her hands on her hips.

"It's Christmas Eve! We're not going anywhere! What're you babbling about?" She asked, angrily.

"Mum . . ." I trail off when I spot the green Christmas tree in the corner of the room. We didn't have a green one, we had a white tree. I shakily point to the tree. "Where'd you get that tree?" Mum turns to look at it. "That's a new tree. Where'd you get it?" I asked again.

"Well, I thought it was you!" I look at her confused.

"How could it be me?" I asked.

"Well, you went shopping, there was a ring at the door, and there it was." Rose said me. I looked at her with slight fear then mum.

"That wasn't me." I told them.

"Then who was it . . .?" Mum questioned. We all stare at the tree. I pull mum and Rose behind me. The tree lights up. I let out a tired sigh.

"You've gotta be kidding me." The tree starts to spin, slowly at first and then very fast. Mum and Rose scream. "Jingle bells" begins to play as it sped up. It reduces the coffee table into firewood within seconds. "Go to my room! Go!" I yell at them. Mickey picks up a chair, standing in front of me as mum and Rose run to my room. "Mickey, go!" I rip the chair from him and push him in the direction of my room.

"Jessa!" I hear mum shout. The tree chops up the legs of the chair. "Leave it! Get out!" I stand my ground. The tree takes the chair out of my grip, making me grunt in surprise. I whip my wand out but not fast enough. The tree cuts my arm making me shout in pain. "Jessa! Get out of there!" I ran to my room banging my arm into a wall. Mum slams the door shut. Mickey and mum slide my wardrobe in front the door. I hiss in pain as my arm bleeds, mum hurries over to me to look over my arm.

"I'm okay, mum." I lied. She gave me a light glare as she presses a piece of clothing to the wound, making me groan in pain. My other arm hiding my wand behind my back. Mickey leans against the wardrobe. I was too busy with mum and my wound to notice Rose taking the sonic screwdriver out of the Doctor's jacket. The wardrobe starts to shake as the tree tries to get through. The Christmas tree finally smashes through the wardrobe, throwing Mickey backwards. Mum wraps her arms around me and cowers against the wall.

"I'm gonna get killed by a Christmas tree!" Her voice rising squeakily. I bit my lip as I stared at her then to Mickey and Rose. I pull my wand out and point it at the tree.

"Bombarda!" I shouted but instead of a small explosion, it blows up into pieces. I stare on perplexed before I heard rustling from the bed. I turn to the bed to see the Doctor sitting up with his sonic screwdriver pointed at the spot where the tree was. We lower our tools, staring at one another.

"Remote control. But who's controlling it?" He asked and gets out of bed. We follow him out to the balcony, securing a dressing gown around him. Outside on the ground stand three of the Santas from earlier.

"That's them. What are they?" Mickey asked. Rose shushed him. I watch the Doctor as he raises his sonic screwdriver and points it at the Santas threatening. My eyes widen in shock at the site, the old Doctor would try to talk it out first. They back away, standing closer to each other. Then, they teleported themselves away. "They've just gone! What kind of rubbish were they? I mean, no offense, but they're not much cop if a sonic screwdriver's gonna scare them off."

"Pilot Fish." I looked at him, confused.

"Pilot Fish?" I questioned as everyone turned to look at us. He coughs and throws himself backwards against the wall, clearly in pain. I freeze in my spot as everyone else hurriedly kneel down to him.

"What's wrong?!" Rose cried.

"You woke me up too soon." He pants, breathing heavily. "I'm still regenerating. I'm bursting with energy." More of the vortex escapes through his mouth. "You see? The Pilot Fish could smell it. A million miles away. so they eliminate the defense — that's you lot — and they carry me off. They could run their batteries on me for a couple of year —" He lurches forward towards me, groaning. I catch him out of instincts. I bit my lip hard as he gripped my injured arm.

"Oh!" Mum calls out.

"My head!" He grinds out through gritted teeth. I hold onto him to keep him in place. "I'm having a neuron implosion. I need —"

"What do you need?" Mum asks frantically.

"I need —"

"Say it, tell me, tell me —" I roll my eyes before hissing in pain as he grips my arm tighter.

"I need —"

"Painkillers?" She asked.

"I need —"

"Do you need aspirin?" I look down at the Doctor as his breathing got heavier.

"I —"

"Codeine? Paracetamol? Oh, I dunno — Pepto - Bismol?"

"I need —" Would they just get on with it, I clenched my eyes shut.

"Liquid paraffin. Vitamin C? Vitamin D? Vitamin E?"

"I need —"

"Is it food? Something simple? Uh — a bowl of soup? A nice bowl of soup? Soup and a sandwich? Soup and a little ham sandwich?" Mum kept asking, her voice rising hysterically.

"I need you to shut up." He grunts out, I snorted in laughter and pressed my face into his hair.

"Oh, he hasn't changed that much, has he?" Mum asked me. I lift my face and smile at her.

"No, I guess he hasn't really." I said. The Doctor suddenly lurches forward again, taking me with him this time. I let out a grunt as my back thumps against the opposite with the Doctor. I stare up at the Doctor in embarrassment as he stares down at me. Mum makes a sound of sympathy.

"We haven't got much time. If there's Pilot Fish, then —" He pants then takes an apple out of his dressing gown pocket. The Doctor and I stare at it in confusing. "Why's there an apple in my dressing gown?" He asked me. I shrugged just as confused as him.

"Oh, that's Howard, sorry." I look over the Doctor's shoulder to see mum.

"He keeps apples in his dressing down?" I asked her.

"He gets hungry." I just stare at her. The Doctor looks at the apple confusedly.

"What, he gets hungry in his sleep?" He asked her.

"Sometimes." Mum shrugs. The Doctor suddenly shouts with pain again and sinks us to the floor. I groan as he falls onto me. He grimaces.

"Brain — collapsing —" he grabs hold of my upper arms, holding them tightly. "P— the Pilot Fish. The Pilot Fish mean . . . that something — something —" he takes a deep breath. "Something's coming." He collapses, his head laying on my chest. I wrap my arms around his shoulders to keep him in place.

"Doctor?" I called softly but receive no answer back. I look up to Mickey. "Help me get him back to bed." We struggle to get him back into the flat and into the bed. I kneel next to him, tucking him in and mopping his forehead with a flannel. He's restless and sweaty, like he has the flu. I sigh and get up to go find Mickey, shutting the door behind me. Mickey sets up his laptop. I sit down on the couch, staring blankly at the TV.

"Jackie, I'm using the phone line. Is that all right?" He asked mum. She comes out of the kitchen holding two cups of tea.

"Yeah. Keep a count of it." She plonks a cup of tea down next to Mickey. "It's midnight. Christmas day." She walks over to me and sits down beside me. She hands me the other cup. I take it and sniff it, letting out a small chuckle. I look up at her with shining eyes.

"Peppermint." I whispered. She smiles and wraps an arm around my shoulders.

"Your favorite and it's sweeten with honey, just the way you like." I let out a choke sob at her kindness.

"I've been an awful daughter, sister, and friend. How can you even stand me, mum?" I asked her, my voice wavering as tears run down my face. She cups my face with her hands.

"Cause you're my child and I love you no matter what. And Jessa, I am so proud of you, never forget that." I nodded as she kissed my forehead. "Now drink your tea." I gave a small smile and did as I was told. After I finish my tea, I hand the cup back to mum. "Was there any change?" She asked me.

"He's worse. Just one heart beating." I told her. She sighs and takes the cup back to the kitchen.

"Scientists in charge of Britain's mission to Mars have re-established contact with Guinevere One space probe. They're expecting the first transmission from the planet's surface in the next few minutes." I turn my attention to the telly.

"Yes, we are. We're — we're back on schedule. We've received the signal from Guinevere One. The Mars landing would seem to be an unqualified success." A reporter raised his hand.

"But is it true that you completely lost contact earlier tonight?" He asked.

"Yes, we had a bit of a scare. Guinevere seemed to fall off the scope, but it — it was just a blip. Only disappeared for a few seconds. She's fin now, absolutely fine. We — we're getting the first pictures transmitted live any minute now. I'd better get back to it, thanks." He leaves the conference.

"Here we go, Pilot Fish." Mickey said as he stares at the laptop. I get up to look. "Scavengers, like the Doctor said. Harmless - they're tiny, but the point is, the little fish swim alongside the big fish."

"Like sharks?" I asked as we watched the video.

"Great big sharks. So, what the Doctor mean is, we had them . . . now we get that." The animation of a shark on the screen snaps viciously.

"Something's coming." I said, repeating what the Doctor told me. The TV goes slightly static. "How close?" I asked Mickey.

"There's no way of telling, but the Pilot Fish don't swim far from their daddy." There's a distorted image on the television screen.

"It's close, then." I stated. Rose and Mum come out of the kitchen watching the screen with Mickey and I.

"Funny sort of rocks." Mum said, referring to the image on the TV.

"That's not rocks." I told her as I looked at the screen. The image becomes clearer. I edge towards the TV, squinting at it.

"Coming live from the depths of space on Christmas morning." The image is thrown into clarity. It reveals an alien, which roars viciously at us.

"The bloody hell!" I shouted, jolting backwards in shock as the other gasp doing the same thing. I quickly turned off the TV as we stared at the blank screen. We all slowly went back to what we were doing, I sat down on the sofa. "What the hell was that thing?" I asked aloud.

"No idea, big sis." Rose said as she plopped down beside me. "You know about aliens the most."

"I know everything but that, little sis." I sassed with a bright grin causing her to laugh.

"Jessa, Rose." We turn our heads to Mickey. He motions to us to come over to him, we get off the sofa and walk over to him. "Take a look, I've got access to the military. They're tracking a spaceship. It's big, it's fast, and it's coming this way." We watch the screen that UNIT had. Rose turned to me.

"Coming for what, though? The Doctor?" She asked me.

"They could be, Rose but it could be coming for all of us." An image of four of those hellish looking aliens appear on the screen. They begin to speak but not in english, they were speaking alien.

"Have you seen them before?" Mickey asked me.

"No." I shook my head. I stared at the screen in frustration. I should have been understanding what these four aliens were talking about but I didn't know, Des wasn't translating for me. "I don't know what they're saying. The TARDIS isn't translating their language." I told them when they both looked to me.

"So, why isn't it doing it now?" Mickey questioned.

"It's the Doctor. He's part of the TARDIS and now he's . . . he's broken." I said quietly, lost and upset. They look at me. I left the room to go check on mum and the Doctor. I entered my room and halted in my spot by the doorway. Mum was asleep beside the Doctor, her head on a pillow she had put next to him. I watch the pair of them, leaning against the doorframe. Mickey shuffles up behind me and moves to stand beside me. I glance at him and then back to mum and the Doctor. "This is all my fault. If I didn't take in the TARDIS soul, he'd be awake. He'd still look like my Doctor." My voice shaking slightly.

"You really love him, don't you?" Mickey asked me with a defeated tone. I closed my eyes and sighed while Mickey pulled me into his arms. I stare at the wall forlornly in thought, _'Do I still love the Doctor?'_. I glanced out the corner of my eyes at mum and the Doctor. He was the same Doctor just with a different face. My face set into a determine expression. I did love my Doctor but now I need to learn to love the new Doctor and that shouldn't be to hard, right? Mickey and I pulled back when we heard Sandra yelling outside the front door, we shared a confused look and pop our heads out the door.

"Sandra?" I asked her. She turned to me, still in her nighties and robe.

"He won't listen! He's just walking, he won't stop walking!" She turns back to Jason. "There's this sort of . . . light, thing. Jason? Stop it!" I take a few cautious steps forward, Mickey following after me. "Right now!" Mickey and I looked over the balcony. On the ground below, there were dozens of people walking with blue lights running over their heads. We quickly follow after Sandra and her husband. The people walked up the stairs to the roof not stoping until they were at the very edge of the roof. I looked all around watching as loved ones held the hypnotized victims back, trying to make them listen. "Jason, I'm taking to you! Just stop!" The hypnotized people stand and wait, as if they were waiting for a signal.

"What do we do?" Mickey asked me. I looked at him in remorse and then back to the people standing on the roof.

"Nothing. There's nothing we can do." I told him in despair. We rushed back to the flat to met mum and Rose watching the news. Moving to stand beside them, we watch Harriet.

"I would ask you all to remain calm. But I have one request: Doctor. If you're out there . . . we need you." Mum turns to look at me, but I don't look back at her. I stared at the screen, fighting back tears. "I don't know what to do. But if you can hear me, Doctor . . ." I turn away. This was all my fault, it was all my fault. "If anyone knows the Doctor, if anyone can find him . . . the situation had never been more desperate." I walk to my room to get away from the crushing guilt, silent tears running down my cheeks. "Help us. Please, Doctor. Help us." I lean against the doorframe, watching the Doctor's lifeless form. I move over to the bed and laid down next to him. I rest my head on his chest and wrap an arm around his stomach, sobbing now. I take great gulping breaths, the tears flooding down my cheeks.

"Doctor, wake up please." I cried. "You promised me forever, don't you remember?" I sit up slight and shake him softly. "Doctor, please!" I begged, my sobs getting louder, "If you can hear me, please wake up!" This time I wailed. Mum rushed into my room and pulled me into her arms. I start sobbing harder into her shoulder. She places a kiss on my forehead.

"It's all right . . ." She said gently and soothingly. "I'm sorry. . ." She whispered into my hair. At that moment, the windows smash, showering the floor with glass. The ground shakes violently. Mum helps me up and we join Rose and Mickey outside, staring upwards. We watched as a huge spaceship floats into view, obscuring the sun. It hovers right over central London. I stare up at it for a few more seconds, then run back into the flat. Running to my room, I start to untuck the Doctor while the others stand in the doorway.

"Mickey, we're gonna carry him." I throw the duvet off him. "Rose - get your stuff. Mum get some food. We're going."

"Well, were to?" Mickey asked as he moved over to help me.

"The TARDIS. It's the only safe place on Earth." I told them.

"What're we gonna do in there?" Rose questioned.

"Hide." I stated.

"Is that it?!" Mum exclaimed. I turned to her, frustrated.

"Mum - look in the sky. There's a huge arse alien invasion and — I don't know what to do, alright? I've travelled with him, and I've seen all that stuff but when I'm home, I'm useless. Now, as much as I hate it, all we can do is run and hide, and I'm sorry. Now, move." Rose and mum leave the room. I heave the Doctor up, taking his shoulders. Mickey takes his legs. "Oh, lift him." We carry the Doctor out of the front door with mum and Rose following us. They were struggling with several shopping bags. I rolled my eyes as mum drops a one and tries to pick it up again. We carry the Doctor towards the TARDIS, with mum dropping another bag. We carry him through the doors, starting to pant slightly with the effort. Rose and mum hurriedly follows us. Mum pauses for a moment, looking around before coming in completely.

"No chance you could fly this thing?" Mickey panted.

"No." I shook my head.

"Well, you did it before . . ." He trailed off.

"I know, but the TARDIS . . . She's not working." I muttered. We place the Doctor down on the floor.

"Ah, so what do we do? Just sit here?" He asked.

"That's as good as it gets." I said, crossing my arms showing how frustrated I was.

"Right, here we go. Nice cup of tea." Mum said as she takes out a thermal flask.

"The solution to everything." I grumbled.

"Now, stop your moaning. I'll get the rest of the rood." She leaves the TARDIS. I lean against the console and look down at the Doctor.

"Tea. Like we're having a picnic while the world comes to an end. Very British." I don't answer, even when Rose puts an comforting hand on my shoulder. "How does this thing work? It picks up TV, maybe we could see what's going on out there. Maybe we've surrendered." He presses a few buttons. "What do you do to it?" I walked over to him, pushing his hands away from the controls.

"Quit pressing buttons!" I scolded him. Rose begins to press some buttons too. "Rose!" Suddenly a beeping sounds from the computer. I stared at it confused.

"Maybe it's a distress signal." I rolled my eyes at Mickey.

"Fat lot of good that's gonna do." Rose turned to me with her hands on her hips.

"Are you gonna be a misery all the time?" She asked.

"Yes." I told my sister. Mickey turned to us.

"You should look at it from my point of view - stuck in here with your mum's cooking." He shuddered. I looked around remembering that mum hadn't return yet.

"Where is she?" Mickey and Rose shrugged. I sighed and jump to my feet. "I'd better go and give her a hand. Come on, Rose, before it starts raining missiles." She groans but follows after me.

"Tell her anything from a tin, that's fine." Mickey called after us.

"Why don't you tell her yourself?" Rose asked him.

"I'm that that brave." I paused with my hand on the door handle and turn back to him.

"Oh, I don't know. . ." I smile at him and open the door, letting Rose out first. Mickey smiles back. Just as we step outside the door, we're grabbed by one of the aliens. Rose lets out a scream.

"Get off! Get off me!" Rose shouts at the aliens. I struggle against my own, I look up as Mickey runs out of the TARDIS doors, staring around at our surroundings with amazement.

"The door! Close the door!" I yelled to him. Mickey dashes to the door and slams it shut before he's grabbed by a alien. The leader yells with glee, and the onlookers cheer. Harriet stumbles towards me.

"Jessa." We embraced each other, terrified. "Jessa! I've got you. My Lord. My precious thing. The Doctor . . . is he with you?" I looked at her for a moment.

"No. We're on our own." I told her with a shaky voice. Harriet begins to whisper to me on what's been going on so far. The aliens were named Sycorax and Alex, the young man beside her could translate what they were saying. The Sycorax Leader points at me and addresses me angrily.

"The brown girl. She has the clever blue box. Therefore, she speaks for your planet." Alex translated for us.

"But she can't." Harriet said.

"Yes, I can." I said quietly, not taking my eyes off the Sycorax leader.

"Don't you dare." Rose cried.

"Someone has to." I stated to her. Harriet grabs me.

"They'll kill you." I shake her off.

"That never stopped him." I take a few steps towards the Sycorax leader. The surrounding Sycorax all mutter excitedly. "I address the Sycorax under peaceful contract. According to convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation." The Sycorax leader begins to stride towards me, I raise my chin and stare at him with strength. "I command you to leave this world in peace. They've have only just learnt of alien kind and are still learning, so I ask that you please go before things turn from your favor." There was a few seconds of stunned silence, and then all of the Sycorax burst out laughing. I glance around in slight fear. The Sycorax leader begins to speak again.

"You are very, very funny." Alex translated. The leader speaks more angrily. "And now you're going to die."

"Leaver her alone!" Harriet lurched forward.

"Don't touch her!" Mickey also lurched forward.

"Jessa!" Rose sobbed. They were all restrained by the Sycorax. The leader continues to speak to me, circling around me.

"Did you think you were clever with your stolen words?" He raises his arms into the air, speaking passionately. "We are the Sycorax. We astride the darkness."

"I thought I was pretty clever." I shrugged with sass. The Sycorax leader hisses at me, causing me to flinch back.

"Next to us you are but a wailing child. If you are the best your planet can offer as a champion . . ."

"Then your world will be gutted . . ." I looked up in shock.

". . . then your world will be gutted . . ." Alex repeated.

". . . and your people enslaved." He was talking in English, I look to the others.

". . . and your people enslaved." Alex looks up. "Hold on, that's English."

"He's talking English." Harriet repeated. I turn back to the alien leader.

"You're talking English." I told him.

"I would never dirty my tongue with your primitive bile!" I point at him.

"That's English." I turn to the others. "Can you hear English?" I asked them. They all nod.

"Yeah, that's English." Mickey replied.

"Definitely English." Alex agreed.

"I speak only Sycoraxic!" He exclaimed, angrily.

"If we can hear English then it's being translated. Which means the TARDIS is working. And that means . . ." I slowly turn around to look at the TARDIS. Mickey, Rose, and Harriet follow suit. The doors open and there, standing smiling in his stripy pyjamas and blue dressing gown, was the Doctor.

"Did you miss me?" He asked. I smile in delight. The Sycorax leader roars in fury and lashes his whip at the Doctor, who simply catches the end and pulls it away from him. He discards it. "You could have someone's eye out with that!" The Sycorax leader roars again and tries to attack the Doctor with his staff, but the Doctor snatches it off him and snaps it over his knee. He chucks the broken pieces on the floor. "You just can't get the staff. Now, you, just wait. I'm busy." I giggle as the leader stares at him, incredulously. The Doctor points at him warningly, then goes over to Mickey and Rose.

"Mickey! Rose! Hello!" He turns to Harriet. "And Harriet Jones MP for Flydale North! Blimey, it's like 'This Is Your Life'!" He turns to me, beaming. "Tea! That's all I needed! A good cup of tea! Superheated infusion of free radicals and tannin. Just the thing for healing the synapses . . ." He looked at me serious, lowering his voice. "Now . . . first thing's first . . . be honest. How do I look?" I stared at him for a moment, he didn't remember my freak out when he first changed. I swallowed and gave him a light smile.

"Different." I said simply.

"Good different or bad different?" He questioned.

"Just different." I shrugged.

"Am I . . . ginger?" He asked me deadly serious. I almost burst out laughing. I looked him straight in the eyes with a bright smile.

"No, you're brown." He turns away, put out.

"Aww, I wanted to be ginger. I've never been ginger." He turns back, pointing at me violently. "And you, Jessamine Tyler, fat lot of good you were - you gave up on me —" I jolted back in shock at his rudeness, but he was right, I did give up on him. "Oh, that's rude. That's the sort of man I am now, am I? Rude." He ponders this. "Rude and not ginger." I bit my lip to stop my smile from showing.

"I'm sorry - who is this?" Harriet asked.

"I'm the Doctor." He told her.

"He's the Doctor." I nodded in agreement.

"But what happened to my Doctor? Or is it a title that's just passed on?" She questioned.

"I'm him. I'm literally him. Same man, new face - well, new everything." He walks towards her.

"But you can't be." Her brow furrowed.

"Harriet Jones. We were trapped in Downing Street, and the one thing that scared you wasn't the aliens . . . wasn't the war . . . it was the thought of your mother being on her own." He said.

"Oh, my God." She whispered.

"Did you win the election?" He asked, bending down slightly.

"Landslide majority." She said smiling, rather pleased.

"If I might interrupt!" We all spin around, having forgotten him.

"Yes! Sorry! Hello, big fella!" The Doctor cheered.

"Who exactly are you?" he asked the Doctor.

"Well. That's the question." the Doctor gave a fixed grin.

"I demand to know who you are!" The leader yelled.

" **I DON"T KNOW!** " the Doctor imitated the Sycorax's rough voice then relaxed. "See, there's the thing. I'm the Doctor, but beyond that, I — I just don't know. I literally do not know who I am. It's all untested." He walked around, addressing everyone. "Am I funny? Am I sarcastic?" He looks at me, "Sexy?" He winks cheekily, I blush lightly and gave a shy smile. "Right old misery? Life and soul? Right-handed? Left-handed? A gambler? A fighter? A coward? A traitor? A liar? A nervous wreck? I mean, judging by the evidence, I've certainly got a gob." He notices a button. "And how am I gonna react when I see this?" He points up at the button with an insane smile. "A great big threatening button." He runs up the stairs, laughing.

"A Great Big Threatening Button Which Must Not Be Pressed Under Any Circumstances. Am I right? Let me guess, it's some sort of control matrix? Hmm? Hold on, what's feeding it?" He bends down and pulls open a small door in order to access the controls underneath the button. "And what've we got here? Blood?" He dips his finger in it and tastes it. I shut my eyes and groan in disgust. "Yeah, definitely. Blood. Human blood. A Positive. With just a dash of iron." He waggles his tongue around at the nasty taste and wipes his finger on his dressing gown. "Ahh. But that means . . . blood control —" He cheers, positively delighted. "Blood control! Oh! I haven't seen blood control for years! You're controlling all the A Positives!" The Sycorax's grimace faltered slightly.

"Which leaves us with a great big stinking problem. 'Cos . . . I really don't know who I am. I don't know when to stop. So if I see a Great Big Threatening Button Which Should Never Ever Be Pressed . . . then I just wanna do this." He whacks the button hard.

"No!" Harriet and I shouted in unison. We all stared at the Doctor in shock.

"You killed them!" Alex yelled.

"What do you think, big fella? Are they dead?" He asked the Sycorax.

"We allow them to live." He said bitterly.

"Allow? You've no choice! I mean, that's all blood control is. Cheap bit of voodoo. Scares the pants off you, but that's as far as it goes. It's like hypnosis — you can hypnotize someone to walk like a chicken or sing like elvis, you can't hypnotize them to death. Survival instinct's too strong." The Doctor explained.

"Blood control was just one form of conquest. I can summon the armada and take this world by force." He told us.

"Well, yeah, you could, yeah, you could do that - of course you could. But why? Look at these people." He gestures at us, speaking passionately. "These human beings. Consider their potential. From the day they arrive on the planet and blinking step into the sun. There is more to see than can ever be seen." I stared at the Doctor in amusement. He was quoting The Lion King. "More to do than — no, hold on . . ." He pauses, thinking. "Sorry, that's 'The Lion King'. But the point still stands. Leave them alone!"

"Or what?" The leader questioned.

"Or . . ." The Doctor trails off and grabs a sword from one of the Sycorax guarding me and the others. He runs down the steps into the empty floor space in front of the TARDIS and raises it into the air. "I challenge you." The Sycorax leader and the other Sycorax burst out laughing again. "Oh, that struck a chord. Am I right that the sanctified rules of combat still apply?"

"You stand at this world's champion." The leader said as he came down the steps and unsheathing his sword.

"Thank you. I've no idea who I am, but you just summed me up." The Doctor shrugs off his dressing gown. He tosses his dressing grown to me, I catch it. "So — you accept my challenge? Or are you just a cranak pel casacree salvak?" The Sycorax leader hisses. They both kneel by their swords.

"For the planet?" the leader asked.

"For the planet." The Doctor agreed. They stand up and face each other, holding their swords at the ready. They then run at each other and begin to fight. After a few seconds, the Doctor is thrown aside, and the Sycorax Leader laughs. The Doctor, however, straightens himself up and they begin to fight again. The Sycorax Leader swings his sword at the Doctor.

"Look out!" Rose shouts out to the Doctor.

"Oh, yeah, that helped. Wouldn't have thought of that otherwise, thanks." They begin to fight again. I watched them, terrified. The Doctor leads the fight up the stairs. "Bit of fresh air?" He hits a button and a door opens, leading to a platform on the outside of the spaceship. They continue their fight. We and a few of the Sycorax follow them. The swash-buckling continues. The Sycorax leader manages to catch the Doctor slightly on his nose, and he groans. I begin to run forward, but the Doctor raises a hand to stop me. "Stay back! Invalidate the challenge and he wins the planet."

He wipes his nose, and he and the Sycorax leader run towards each other, clashing swords. They both grimace with the effort, and the Doctor is knocked backwards to the ground. Taking advantage, the Sycorax leader slashes at the Doctor's wrist, succeeding in chopping his hand off, up to the elbow. It falls off the side of the spaceship, sword and all.

"Doctor!" I exclaimed in horror. The Doctor watches it drop, and looks back at the Sycorax leader, looking rather stunned and annoyed.

"You cut my hand off." He stated.

" **YAH**! Sycorax!" The leader yelled, triumphantly. The Doctor gets back up on his feet.

"And now I know what sort of man I am. I'm lucky. 'Cos quite by chance . . . I'm still within the first fifteen hours of my regeneration cycle. Which means I've got just enough residual cellular energy . . . to do this." He holds up his stump of an arm, and before our eyes, it grows right back.

"Witchcraft." The leader hissed.

"Time Lord." I take one of the Sycorax's swords out of its sheath.

"Doctor!" He turns and I toss it to him. He catches it by the handle and spins it around.

"Oh, so I'm still the Doctor, then?" He asked me.

"Always." I smiled to him. He returns the smile ten fold and turns back to the Sycorax leader.

"Wanna know the best bit? This new hand . . . It's a fightin' hand!" He said in a mock Texan accent. The Doctor runs at the Sycorax Leader, and the fight commences once more. They clash swords for a few more moments, then the Doctor jabs him hard in stomach with the handle of the sword. The onlookers wince, and the Sycorax Leader groans. The Doctor does the same twice more, causing the Sycorax Leader to fall to the ground. The Doctor points his sword at his throat. "I win."

"Then kill me." The leader said with difficulty.

"I'll spare your life if you'll take this champion's command: leave this planet, and never return. What do you say?" The Doctor asked him.

"Yes." I watched as he got angry and serious as I have yet to seen from him, reminding me of the old Doctor.

"Swear on the blood of your species." He jabbed the sword closer.

"I swear." He laboured.

"There we are, then! Thanks for that! Cheers, big fella!" The Doctor said lightly. He jabs the sword into the ground.

"Bravo!" Harriet cheered while clapping. I rushed forward and grab onto the Doctor in a tight hug. He hugs me just as tight, I look up at him with shining eyes.

"That says it all." I whispered. He smiled at me and gives me another squeeze. We pulled away and looked to the others.

"Yeah! Not bad for a man in his jim-jams!" I help put the dressing gown back on him. "Very Arthur Dent. Now, there was a nice man. Hold on, what have I got in here?" He takes a satsuma out of his pocket, showing it to me. I let out some giggles. "A satsuma. Ah, that friend of your mothers - he does like his snacks doesn't he? But doesn't that just sum up Christmas?" We begin to walk back to the door. The Doctor throws the satsuma in the air and catches it again.

"You go through all those presents and right at the end, tucked away at the bottom, there's always one stupid old satsuma. Who wants a satsuma." Behind us, the Sycorax Leader gets to his feet. He picks up his sword, roaring, ready to charge. Without even turning around, the Doctor lobs the satsuma at a switch on the side of the ship, causing the ground beneath the Sycorax Leader to open. He tumbles to Earth, screaming. The Doctor's smile has faded from his face. I let out a soft gasp at the sudden death that violently flashed across my list.

"No second chances. I'm that sort of a man." I look up at the Doctor from the corner of my eye and he gives me a apologetic look. I knew what he was apologizing for and I gave him a small smile in acceptance to his apology. He gives me a bright smile and takes my hand in his. I tensed up a bit but kept the smile on my lips as we walk to the TARDIS. The Doctor turns and addresses the remaining Sycorax.

"By the ancient rites of combat, I forbid you to scavenge here for the rest of time. And when you go back to the stars and tell others of this planet . . . when you tell them of its riches - its people - its potential. When you talk of the Earth, then make sure that you tell them this: It — is — defeated." We all enter the TARDIS and teleport away. When we materialize, we all step out and look around.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"We're just off Bloxom Road. We're just round the corner, we did it!" Mickey laughs and jumps up and down in glee with Rose soon following. The Doctor holds his hand out as the spaceships engines starts up.

"Wait a minute . . . wait a minute . . ." The ship takes flight, back to the skies. The Doctor grins.

"Go on, my son! Oh, yeah!" Mickey cheered gleefully. I bursted out laughing at him and my sister as she jumps on his back.

"Yeah! Don't come back!" Rose cheered.

"It is defended!" They laugh happily, and Rose jumps off his back and hugs him. She then runs up to a very surprised Alex, and throws her arms around him as well. I smile brightly as Mickey embraces me and swings me around, as we laughed. He put me down and I went over to the Doctor and Harriet. I watch as they face each other. She raises her arms, grinning.

"My Doctor." Harriet said.

"Prime Minister." I smile softly as they hug, happily.

"Absolutely the same man." The Doctor smiles and takes my hand in his again when I stopped beside him. We turn to look up at the sky. "Are there many more out there?" She asked him.

"Oh, not just Sycorax. Hundreds of species. Thousands of them. And the human race is drawing attention to itself. Every day you're sending out probes and messages and signals — this planet's so noisy. You're getting noticed . . . more and more." He looks at Harriet. "You'd better get used to it."

"Rose! Jessa!" We all turn to the entrance of the street to see mum running toward us.

"Mum!" Rose and I shouted together as we ran to her.

"Oh! Talking of trouble . . .!" The Doctor teased. Rose and I elope mum into a big hug.

"Oh, my God! You did it, Jessa! Oh!" The Doctor smiles while Mickey joins us. I turned to him and then to mum.

"No, you did it. It was the tea." I said, looking proudly at my mum.

"That was all I needed — cup o' tea." The Doctor told her.

"I said so!" We all laughed.

"Look at him." I said, smiling happily at the Doctor.

"Is it him, though? Is it really the Doctor?" She turned and noticed Harriet. "Oh, my God! It's the bleeding Prime Minister!"

"Come here, you." The Doctor said to mum. He holds out his arms to her, she throws her arms around him. Rose, Mickey and I join in the group hug.

"Aww. . .! Are you better?" Mum asked him.

"I am, yeah!" He replies to her. The five of us chat happily amongst ourselves, forgetting about Alex and Harriet. Mum turned to me with her hands on her hips.

"You left me!" I raised my hands in mock surrender.

"I'm sorry!" I bite back chuckles.

"I had all the food!" The Doctor turns and gives Harriet a brief smile and turned back to me. He gave me a bright happy smile which I returned, until it slowly faded and my vision went hazy.

"Jessamine?" I heard the Doctor asked. My knees buckled sending me to the ground. The Doctor quickly catches me. I let out a painful moan as name upon name begins to fill my list. Everyone jumps as a beam of green light shoots loudly up from the ground nearby. The same green light beams up from another four points, and the five points meet in the middle. The energy shoots up into space and hits the spaceships, destroying it. I let out a loud scream as names cram themselves onto the list too much to fast.

"What is that? What's happening?" Rose gasped. I begin to sob in pain as the Doctor holds onto me, tightly. I look up at him with tear filled eyes as they poured down my cheeks in rivers.

"It . . . hurts . . . Doctor." I choked out. He shushes me and hands me over to my mum. She pets my hair as she holds me to her chest. I watch through my tear clouded eyes as the Doctor slowly walks over to Harriet.

"That was murder." He said, angrily.

"That was defence. It's adapted from alien technology. A ship that fell to Earth ten years ago." She told him.

"But they were leaving." He replied still angry.

"You said yourself, Doctor. They'd go back to the stars and tell others about Earth. I'm sorry, Doctor, but you're not here all the time. You come and go. It happened today - Mr. Lleyllyn and the Major. They were murdered. They died right in front of me while you were sleeping. In which case — we have to defend ourselves." Harriet argued.

"Britain's Golden Age." The Doctor said, disdainfully.

"It comes with a price." She said.

"I gave them the wrong warning. I should've told them to run - as fast as they can, run and hide because the monsters are coming: the human race." He bites out. I weakly struggle to get out of my mum's hold but she just shushes me.

"Those are the people I represent. I did it on their behalf." I let out another cry of pain, causing the Doctor to glance at me. He looked back to Harriet with a scowl.

"Then I should've stopped you." He grounded out.

"What does that make you, Doctor? Another alien threat?" She asked him.

"Don't challenge me, Harriet Jones. 'Cos I'm a completely new man. I could bring down your Government with a single word." He steps towards her angrily.

"You're the most remarkable man I've ever met. But I don't think you're quite capable of that." Harriet told him.

"No, you're right. Not a single word." He looks down at her silently for a few seconds. "Just six."

"I don't think so." She argued with him.

"Six words." He repeated.

"Stop it!" She exclaimed, angrily.

"Six." They stared at each other for a few more seconds, a battle of wills. Then the Doctor walks around her and approaches Alex. He takes off his earpiece and speaks to him quietly. He walks off again, leaving Alex looking rather confused, and Harriet plain alarmed. He quickly join us again and turns to mum. "I got her." She nodded and gently passes me into the Doctor's arms.

"Doctor?" I asked him, tiredly still in intense pain. He walks down the street carrying me bridle style and looks down at me with warm, gentle, chocolate brown eyes.

"Shhh, go to sleep." I nodded and shut my eyes, going to sleep instantly. When I wake, I'm in a bed. I glance around I was in my room on the TARDIS. I sit up and stretch, I ran a hand through my hair before pausing. I jump out of bed and run to my mirror hanging on the closet door. My hair was now below my shoulder blazes, my side cut was gone and replace with slightly wavy russet hair. I stared in shock for a few moments then turned to the clothes I was wearing still. I looked back up to the mirror, the clothes and hair style didn't really fit with each other and I didn't feel like cutting my hair for some strange reason. I walked into my closet in search of a new outfit. Flicking through the shirts, I pulled out a flowy TARDIS blue button up then pulled out a pair of light grey turned up skinny jeans. I got dress and just as I was about to pull on my boots and leather jacket, a pair of black high top converse and a beige trench coat caught my eye. I pick up the shoes and coat, putting them on quickly. I head out of my room, only stopping to grab a bobble from my desk. I put my hair up into a ponytail as I made my way to the flat. I enter without knocking and shut the door behind me.

"Jessa?" I looked up at mum's question.

"Yeah?" I asked. She rushes over to me and cups my face with her hands.

"You look completely different!" She exclaimed with a smile. "I like this look much better then the last one." I chuckled slightly at her. "Are you feeling better? You gave us quite the scare, young lady." I removed her hands from my face and held them in my hands.

"I've never felt better, mum." I turn to the Doctor. "But I have to say, I never want to go through something like that again." He grimaced and nodded in agreement. Mum went back to the kitchen as the Doctor walked over to me. I look up at him and smile. He smiles back before letting out a deep chuckle. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"We match." I look down at our clothes and laughed. We did match but then I thought back to our other selves. We had matched then too.

"We make quite the pair." I said to him. He held out his hand to me.

"That we do." I took his hand and he walked me over to the table. We all sat down and began to eat and pop Christmas crackers with each other. The Doctor grabs one and holds it out to me. I smiled and grab the other side, pulling. I let out a soft squeal as our cracker bangs. The Doctor wins but he gives me the prize. "Oh, that's yours . . ." I take the blue hat from him.

"It's blue! Doctor, it should be yours!" I teased him.

"Blue! Lovely!" I put the hat on, and the Doctor watches me, smiling. I catch sight of the telly and point to it.

"Look, it's Harriet." I whispered. They all turn to look at the television, the Doctor taking a pair of glasses from his pocket. "When did you get glasses?" I asked him, confused. He just sent me a smirk.

"Prime Minister, is is true you are no longer fit to be in position?" A man asked Harriet.

"No. Now, can we talk about other things?" She asked. The Doctor stands up and puts on the pair of thick rimmed, geeky glasses on, looking sternly at the television.

"Is it true you're unfit for office?"

"Look, there is nothing wrong with my health! I don't know where these stories are coming from! And a vote of no confidence . . . is completely unjustified." The phone rings and mum goes into the kitchen to answer it.

"Are you going to resign?"

"On today of all days, I'm fine. Look at me, I'm fine. I look fine, I feel fine." She stated clearly confused and frustrated.

"It's Beth. She says go and look outside." Mum told us. The Doctor takes his glasses off and turns back to the rest of us.

"Why?" I asked.

"I dunno, just go outside and look. Come on, shift!" We all get up. There are lots of others outside too, as it appears to be snowing. They laugh in delight. It looks as though there are meteors in the sky. The Doctor and I stand beside each other, mum, Rose, and Mickey a short way behind us. I look up at the sky in sorrow.

"This isn't snow, is it Doctor?" I asked him, softly. He turned to me and shook his head.

"No, it's ash. The spaceship is breaking up in the atmosphere. This is a brand new planet Earth. No denying the existence of aliens now - everyone saw it. Everything's new." I avoid his eyes.

"What about you? What are you going to do next?" I asked him.

"Well . . . back to the TARDIS . . . same old life." I glanced at him.

"On your own?" I questioned him, wanting to know if he still wanted me around after everything I did. He turned to me with a soft frown.

"Why, don't you wanna come?" He asked me.

"I do." I said after a shaky breath.

"Do you, though?" I look up at him.

"Yes." I told him, honest. He glanced away for a moment before looking at me, shyly.

"I just thought . . . 'cos I change . . ." I bit my lip.

"At first, Doctor, but then later on . . . I thought you wouldn't want me after everything." I looked away from him, feeling my eyes prickle with tears. "This was all my fault, you changing and your slight coma. It was my fault and I thought you would think I was just like the others." I looked up at him with teary eyes. He wiped my tears away with his thumbs.

"Oh, Jessamine." He whispered. "Don't you remember? We promised each other forever. And I will always want you to come." I let out a choke laugh.

"Okay." We laughed, beaming at each other.

"You're never gonna stay, are you?" The Doctor and I look at Mickey. Mickey raises his eyes from the ground.

"There's just so much out there. So much to see . . . I've got to." I told him. He smiles, understanding but still not happy.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Well, I reckon you're mad. The pair of you. It's like you go looking for trouble." The Doctor and I laugh, mum had no idea how true that statement was. The Doctor rushes up to her.

"Trouble's just the bits in-between." He puts an arm around her, looking up at the sky. "It's all waiting out there, Jackie. It's brand new to me." I smile at them. "All those planets . . . creatures and horizons . . . I haven't seem them yet! Not with these eyes . . ." He comes back to stand beside me. I look up at him, our gazes connecting. "And it is gonna be . . . fantastic." I beam brightly at the use of his old catchphrase and he grins back. He holds his hand out to me. I point at it, smiling still.

"That hand of yours still gives me the creeps." The Doctor grins and wiggles his fingers persistently. I laugh and take his hand, we look up at the sky for a few moments. I step closer to him and brush the ash off his arm. "So, where're we going first?"

"Um . . . that way." He points deliberately at a point in the night sky. "No, hold on . . . that way." He points a smidgen to the right of his first point. I point in the same direction.

"That way?" I asked. He looks at me.

"Hmm?" I nod.

"Yeah. That way." I said softly. We smile at each other for a few seconds and then gaze up at the night-sky, hand in hand. We stood there in peaceful quiet until mum stormed out of the flat and looked at us from the balcony.

"Jessamine Rose Tyler!" I glanced up at her in slight fear.

"Yes, mummy dearest?" I asked in a innocent tone to try to get out of whatever trouble I was in.

"Don't 'mummy dearest' me, young lady!" The Doctor sniggered beside me, so I elbowed him in the side with a pout. "You have a lot of explaining to do about how you blew that tree up with that twig!" My eyes widen in shock as I remember that incident.

"Damnit." I cursed softly.

"You two get up here, right now!" The Doctor and I glanced at each other then back to mum.

"Yes, ma'am!" We hurried back up the stairs to the flat, following after my upset mother.


	2. I got some explaining to do

I glanced nervously at mum as she stood in front of me with her arms crossed.

"Well? Out with it, Jessa." She said. I bit my lip and looked to the Doctor for help. He smiled at me encouragingly.

"Are you from the future or something?" Mickey asked.

"No. Well, yes . . . not really?" I told them. They all gave me a confused look. I sighed and crossed my arms. "I am from the future but not from this dimension." I turn to Rose and mum. "Where I come from, Rose is my grandmother and your my great grandmother." They stared at me in shock. "In my world magic is real like how aliens are real here." I pulled out my wand and showed it to them. "This is my wand. It's eleven inches long, made of holly, with a phoenix feather as its core." I told them as I started from the begin of my story. I told them about my parents and brother, friends, husband and child. I told them of the abuse I suffered at the hand of the Dursley's. I told them about the adventures I had at school. I simply told them everything I could remember and when I was done, the room was quiet. I stared at my lap, waiting for someone to say something. I glanced up when I felt the seat beside me dip. Mum had tears in her eyes as she stared at me.

"Oh, Jessa!" She cried as she brought me into her arms. I froze in shock as she continued crying. "I always knew you were special. My darling daughter. I love you so much." I wrapped my arms around my mum and started to cry. "Let it all out, sweetheart." She rocked me back and forth as I sobbed.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." I cried. "I didn't want to lose you and think I was a freak." Mum shushed me as she petted my hair.

"I would never think that about you, Jessa." She told me. "Now the Doctor on the other hand, though." She teased.

"Oi!" I let out a watery chuckle and pulled away from mum. She wiped my tears away with her thumbs. I sniffed a few times before smiling at mum.

"Thank you." She simply smiled. I turned to Rose and Mickey for their verdict. I was suddenly ambush by two figures, who then hugged the ever loving daylights out of me. "Guys . . . can't . . . breath!" I choked out to them.

"Sorry!" They both said and released me. I sucked in a deep breath in relief.

"Well, now that's done with. How about we open those presents?" Mum asked us. We all nodded our heads and she passed out the presents to us. She turned to the Doctor and handed him one.

"I get a present?" He asked her as he gently took it from her.

"It's a thank you gift for making my Jessa happy and full of life again." He stared at her for a moment before pulling her into a hug. Mum chuckled and patted him on the back as he let her go. He walked over and sat down beside me.

"You should open your's first, Doctor." I told him.

"All right." He ripped the paper off the present and we both stared at the gift. "A lighter?" The Doctor picked it up, looking at it's fancy design.

"It belong to Pete." Mum said. I gently took it out of the Doctor's hand, staring at it in wonder.

"Jessamine?" The Doctor asked. I flicked the cap open and all of the lights flew into it. I burst into joyous laughter as mum and Rose let out shrieks.

"What the hell is that thing?" Mickey asked.

"Deluminator or as Ron called it, the putter outer." I told him. "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." I quoted from Albus and flicked the cap again, the light returning to their respected places. I handed it back to the Doctor, who took it gingerly.

"This was yours?" He asked me. I nodded my head.

"In a way, yes." He tried to hand it back to me. "No, keep it. I can't think of anyone else better to have it." I gently close his hand over it. "I know you'll keep it safe and enjoy it." He gave me a small smile.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"Your welcome, Doctor." I told him then turn to mum. "Your turn." She stared at me, confused.

"Jessa, I don't have a present." I tilted my head with a secretive smile.

"Don't you?" I questioned. Rose got up and went to her room. She quickly return with a pink wrapped box. I groaned at the sight. "Pink?"

"It was blue last year, Jessa." She retorted. I rolled my eyes but grinned as she handed it to mum. Mum stared it then us with surprise and shock. "Well, go on! Open it, mum." Rose exclaimed with a chuckle. She slowly unwrapped the paper and opened the box, her hand flew to her mouth. Rose and I beamed at each other as mum took the gift out of the box. It was a white wooden picture frame with the only picture of mum, dad, Rose, and I together in it. We were at a park having an family picnic and dad had ask a total stranger to take a picture of us. Dad had plopped down beside mum and dragged me into his lap while mum held Rose in her arms, we all had bright smiles beside baby Rose. I looked to mum as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I remember that day." I told her, she looked up at me with a wobbling smile. "One of the happiest days of my life here." She let out a watery chuckle.

"This was a few weeks before . . ." She trailed off.

"Before dad died." I finished for her, tears filling my eyes at the surfacing memory. I rubbed at my eyes and turn to Mickey. "Your turn, mate." He rolled his eyes and open his gift. Rose and mum got him some tickets to some game and then it was Rose's turn. Mum had gotten her some new clothes and hair products. Now everyone was staring at me, waiting for me to open my gift. I tear off the wrapping paper and open the box. I froze at the sight of what the box contained. Inside was the locket, the locket I dreamed about, the one I draw. I gently lift the gold star shape locket and simply stare at it with wide eyes. The diamond in the middle was breathtaking, I turned it over to see the back. I frown when I don't see the inscription.

"Do you like it?" I snapped my head up at mum's questioned.

"Yeah, it's beautiful." I told her and slipped it back into the box.

"That was with you when we found you." I glanced at the box then mum. "Your father wanted to give it to you when you found Mr. Right. It was gonna be your engagement gift from him." I bit my lip, tears filling my eyes again. I look down at the box and hand it back to mum. "Jessa?"

"Keep it safe for me. I haven't found him yet." I told her as she took into her hands.

"I'll keep it forever if that means you won't leave with some man." We all broke into laughter at that and started to clean up the mess the tree caused. I glanced at the Doctor slyly as I took my wand out and with a few flicks the flat was back in order. "Now, I'm defiantly keeping it." I wrapped an arm around my mum and pulled her into a side hug.

"Love ya too, mum." I told her with a chuckled as she swatted at my shoulder.

"Can I travel with you, Doctor?" Mum and I turned to Rose as she watched the Doctor. He turned to look at me then Rose. _'Please, tell her no.'_

"Absolutely! More the merrier, right Jessamine?" He turned back to me. I plastered on a fake smile.

"Absolutely, Doctor." I said as they went back to talking. I watched them from the archway in the kitchen, this was going to end badly. I could just feel it.


	3. New Earth

The four of stood outside the TARDIS while the Doctor started Des up. Rose was all packed up and ready to go.

"Have you got everything?" Mum asked Rose.

"I've got everything, don't worry." Rose told her.

"Be careful." Mum told the both of us and pulled us into a hug.

"You got to call Mo about that —" Rose started but mum interrupted her.

"Oh, never mind Mo. . ." Mum said.

"Okay, I'm going now. I love you!" Rose kissed mum on the cheek.

"I love you." Mum returned and Rose walked into the TARDIS. I hugged mum again and gave her a kiss too.

"Love you, mum." I told her. She gave me kiss on the forehead.

"Love you too, Jessa." I went over to Mickey and gave him a hug.

"Bye." He whispered.

"Bye." I returned and walk into the TARDIS with a bounce in my step and a smile on my face. I close the door behind me. The Doctor looks over, noticing me and we beam at each other. The Doctor pulls a lever with extra vigour. The Doctor and I were both operating the controls while Rose was seating in the chair close by.

"So, where are we going?" She asked. The Doctor looked over to her, grinning.

"Further than we've ever gone before." He said, Rose grins back. I shot a look between them with a light frown on my lips. When Des finally landed, we step out onto a windy stretch of grass. I watch Rose's mouth drop open in amazement. "It's the year five billion and twenty three . . . we're in the galaxy M87, and this . . . this is New Earth." We looked upon a futuristic city, with flying vehicles zooming to and fro.

"That's just . . . that's —" Rose burst out laughing in wonder.

"Not bad. Not bad at all!" The Doctor said, nodding.

"I'll never get used to this." I told him with a bright smile which he returned. Rose begins to jump up and down excitedly.

"Different ground beneath my feet! Different sky . . .! What's that smell?" The Doctor bends down and pulls some grass up. He shows it to us.

"Apple grass." He said.

"Apple grass. . .!" She exclaimed. I let out a few chuckles.

"Yeah, yeah!" The Doctor beamed. I take the grass out of his hand and look at it closer.

"It's beautiful." I gaze up at the Doctor with a smile. "I love this, travelling with you. I love it." I link my arm through his.

"Me too." I laugh and the Doctor grins. He grabs my hand and we dash off. "Come on!" He yelled back to Rose. The Doctor takes his coat off and drapes it on the ground, holding his arm out for me to sit on it. While I sit down on his coat, the Doctor and Rose sprawl down on either side of me on the grass.

"So, the year five billion — the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted." The Doctor said.

"That was our first date." I smiled. The Doctor leans back to look at me.

"We had chips!" We let out a giggle. "So anyway, planet gone, all rocks and dust, but the human race lives on, spread out across the stars. Soon as the Earth burns up — oh, yeah, they get all nostalgic — big revival movement . . . but find this place!" He sits up for a better look at the view. "Same size as the Earth . . . same air . . . sam orbit . . . lovely! Call goes out, the humans move in!"

"What's the city called?" Rose asked.

"New New York." The Doctor answered. We looked at him skeptically.

"New New York?" I repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, come on." Rose said.

"It is! It's the City of New New York!" He pauses, thinking. "Strictly speaking, it's the fifteenth New York since the original. So that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York." I smile down at him, reminiscing. "What?"

"You're so different." I told him.

"New New Doctor." I felt my smile falter for a moment.

"Yeah." I turn away to look at the building in the distance in thought, missing the Doctor's frown. I look over to Rose as she starts to get up.

"Can we go and visit New New York — so good they named it twice?" She asked. The Doctor and I also start to get up.

"Well — I thought we might go there first." He nods towards the large building in the distance, on the coast.

"Why? What is it?" She asked. The Doctor had trouble getting his coat on because of the wind, so I help him out.

"Some sort of hospital. Green moon on the side — that's the universal symbol for hospitals." He told us.

"Cool." I replied as I straighten his coat out.

"I got this." He pulls out his psychic paper showing it to Rose remembering that I couldn't read it. "A message on the psychic paper. Someone wants to see me." He tucks it back in his pocket.

"Hmm! And I thought we were just sight-seeing. Come on then! Let's go and by some grapes." Rose said as she links arms with him. I stare after them for a moment before catching up to them and pulled a face.

"Grapes? They're so weird though." I complained, earning a chuckle from Rose. She leans in close to the Doctor.

"Jessa hates grapes and what's the other fruit you hate?" She turns back to me.

"Pears." I replied. "They're so gross and useless. Who even likes them, anyway?" The Doctor laughs and wraps an arm around my waist.

"I completely agree with you, Jessamine." He said with a grin. "What fruit do you like?"

"Strawberries." I answered with a raised eyebrow. "Why?" The Doctor just shrugged with that grin still on his face.

"No reason." He replied as we stopped at an ATM to get credits and then bought some grapes at a fruit stall. Rose ate the grapes on our walk to the hospital, the Doctor telling us about how he dislike hospitals. We walk through the doors and into the reception.

"Bit rich coming from you." Rose said.

"I can't help it! I don't like hospitals — they give me the creeps!" He told us.

"The Pleasure Gardens will now take visitors carrying green or blue identification cards for the next fifteen minutes. Visitors are reminded that cuttings from the gardens are not permitted."

"Very smart. Not exactly NHS." I said looking around.

"No shop. I like the little shop!" I let out a half snort at the Doctor's ramblings.

"I thought this far in the future, they'd have cured everything." Rose said.

"The human race moves on, but so do the viruses. It's an ongoing war." A cat nurse walks by and nods politely to Rose, who stares at her.

"They're cats." She points. I push her hand down.

"Rose, it's rude to point and stare." I scolded her.

"Now, don't stare . . . think what you look like to them, all . . ." He looks us both up and down. "Pink and yellow. Blue and brown. That's where I'd put the shop!" He points over my shoulder. "Right there!" I roll my eyes at his behavior and follow him into the lift behind us. "Ward 26, thanks!"

"Hold on! Hold on!" Rose shouts as she rushes to the lift, but too late. The door closed right before she gets there.

"Oh, too late — we're going up." The Doctor said through the doors.

"It's all right, there's another lift." We hear her call.

"Ward 26. And watch out for the disinfectant." The Doctor calls down. I give the Doctor a look.

"Watch out for what?" She called up.

"The disinfectant!" We hear her call up again and I put a hand on the Doctor's arm.

"She'll find out." I told him.

"Commence stage one — disinfection." Green lights flash on and we're soaked in a shower of disinfectant. I jolted a bit in shock while the Doctor is perfectly calm. I laugh as the Doctor runs his hands through his hair. Soon a white powder is puffed onto us. Then a blow-dryer engages. I smile as I look over to the Doctor and see that he's enjoying the experience immensely, spreading his coat out to dry and smiling happily. I help fix the Doctor's hair before the lift doors slide open at ward 26 and we step out. One of the cat nurses leads us into the ward.

"Nice place. No shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop. Not a big one — just a shop. So people can shop." The Doctor said, looking around.

"The hospital is a place of healing." The nurse said, surprised.

"A shop does some people the world of good. Not me. Other people . . ." We start to walk, I pause slightly to stare at a completely red man.

"The Sisters of Plentitude take a lifelong vow to help. And to mend." We then pass a bed holding an extremely fat man looking as though he was about to turn to stone. By the bed is a very prim woman.

"Excuse me!" She called, indignantly. She approached us. "Members of the public may only gaze upon the Duke of Manhattan with written permission from the Senate of New New York."

"That's Petrifold Regression, right?" The Doctor asked, nodding to the Duke.

"I'm dying, sir. A lifetime of charity and abstinence. And it ends like this." I raised an eyebrow at the man.

"Any statements made by the Duke of Manhattan may not be made public without official clearance." The lady stated.

"Frau Clovis!" The Duke gasps. She rushes to his side. He grasps her hand. "I'm so weak!"

"Sister Jatt! A little privacy, please!" Clovis exclaimed, outraged. Sister Jatt leads us away.

"He'll be up and about in no time." She told us.

"I doubt it. Petrifold Regression? He's turning to stone. There won't be a cure for . . . oh . . . a thousand years? He might be up and about, but only as a statue . . ." I started to look around at the other patients while they talked to each other. I turn towards the back and let out a soft gasp. _'Jack!'_ I race over to him and the nurse beside him. I kneel down in front of him and rest my hands on the glass case.

"Novice Hame — if I can leave this two in your care?" I heard Sister Jatt ask.

"Oh, I think my friend got lost. Uh — Rose Tyler. Could you ask at reception?" The Doctor asked.

"Certainly, sir." I turn to Novice Hame when Jack doesn't acknowledge me.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked her.

"I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep. That's all he tends to do these days. Are you a friend, or . . .?" She asked.

"A very good friend. We met on Platform One. What's wrong with him?" I asked again, interrupting the Doctor.

"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew. The Face of Boe is dying." My eyes widen in horror.

"Of what?" I asked, turning back to Jack.

"Old age. The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions. Although, that's impossible." She told us.

"Oh, no . . . I like impossible." The Doctor kneels beside me. "I'm here. I look a bit different, but it's me . . . it's the Doctor . . ." He places a hand right next to mine on the tank. Jack lets out a sigh.

"Hope, harmony and health. Hope, harmony and health." The Doctor crosses the ward and gives Novice Hame and I a glass of water.

"That's very kind. But there's no need." Novice Hame said to him.

"You're the one working." He said as he goes to the window.

"There's not much to do. Just maintain his smoke. And I suppose I'm company. I can hear him singing, sometimes. In my mind . . . such ancient songs . . ." She trails off. I glance at her.

"Are we the only visitors?" I asked her.

"The rest of Boe-kind became extinct. Long ago. He's the only one left. Legend says that the Face of Boe has watched the universe grow old." The Doctor smiled. "There's all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his great secret. That he will speak those words only to the ones like himself."

"What does that mean?" I asked her.

"It's just a story." She answered.

"Tell us the rest." The Doctor said.

"It's said he'll talk to the wanderers. To the man and woman without a home." I glance towards the Doctor when I recognizes ourselves in that sentence. "The lonely God and Witch." I stayed beside Jack while the Doctor went to find Rose.

"Jack?" I whispered so only he could hear. "It's Jessa. I'm here, little brother. I fulfilled my promise just like you asked." I felt a tear rolled down my cheek. "Please don't leave me." I look over to the Duke side of the room, I could hear the Duke laughing which didn't make sense. I stood up and walked over to his room. The Duke and his lady friend were drinking a glass of champagne.

"Didn't think I was going to make it!" The Doctor steps into view. "It's that man again." The Doctor smiles, scratching his ear absent-mindedly. "He's my good luck charm! Come in! Don't be shy!"

"Any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute a form of legal contract." The Doctor and I nodded.

"Winch me up." He gives the Doctor a thumbs up. Frau Clovis presses a button on a remote and the bed tilts forwards. "Ah! Look at me! No sigh of infection!"

"Champagne, sir? Miss?" A waiter asked us. I shook my head.

"No thanks. Uh . . . you had Petrifold Regression, right?" He asked the Duke.

"That being the operative word! Past tense! Completely cured." The Duke laughs joyfully.

"But that's impossible." I turn to the Doctor.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Primitive species would accuse us of magic, but it's merely the tender application of science." Another cat nurse told us. The Doctor turned to her.

"How on Earth did you cure him?" He asked.

"How on New Earth, you might say." She repeated his statement.

"What's in that solution?" He asked, nodding to the drip.

"A simple remedy." she stated.

"Then tell me what it is." He challenged her.

"I'm sorry. Patient confidentiality. I don't believe we've met. My name is Matron Casp." She said.

"I'm the Doctor and this is Jessa." He motions to me.

"I think you'll find that we're the Doctors here." She told him as Sister Jatt walks up to the matron.

"Matron Casp — you're needed in intensive care." She told her.

"If you would excuse me." She said to us. We nodded and watch them leave.

"Something's not right." I told the Doctor.

"Your feelings acting up?" He asked, I nodded. The Doctor turns back to the nurse, this time watching them suspiciously. The Doctor puts on his glasses and starts looking at each of the patients in the ward. I look over to the elevator when the doors open revealing Rose. I stared at her as she walks out getting another bad feeling flowing from her.

"There you are! Come and look at this patient!" I'm shaken out of my thoughts as the Doctor takes my arm and shows me to the red man. The Doctor takes his glasses off. "Marcont's Disease. Should take years to recover. Two days. I've never seen anything like it — they've invented a cell washing cascade — it's amazing. Their medical science is way advanced. And this one!" He leads me to another bed sporting a completely white man.

"Pallidome Pancrosis. Kills you in ten minutes, and he's fine!" He waves cheerily to the patient. "I need to find a terminal. I've got to see how they do this." We walk off, Rose following us. "Because if they've got the best medicine in the world . . . then why's it such a secret?"

"I can't Adam and Eve it." Rose said, stopping in her walk. I turn to her confused.

"What's with the voice?" I asked her. Rose ignores me and stares up at the Doctor.

"Oh, I don't know . . . just larking about New Earth . . . New me . . ." She looks him up and down.

"Well, I can talk. New New Doctor." He grins.

"Mmm . . . aren't you just . . ." Rose suddenly pulls his face towards her and plants a smacking kiss on his lips. My eyes widen in shock and hurt while my mouth drops open in a silent gasp. When she finally pulls away, the Doctor looks extremely shocked and she's slightly breathless. "T . . . terminal's this way." She walks off, exhaling slightly. I stare at the Doctor for a moment then move to go after Rose.

"Jessamine!" The Doctor grabbed hold of my arm before I could get too far away. "It's not what you think. It didn't mean anything to me." I glanced at him then plastered a fake smile on my face.

"It's fine, Doctor. I'm just your friend nothing more." I told him then went after my sister. We finally caught up with her looking at the details of the hospital on a screen.

"Nope . . . nothing odd . . . surgery . . . post-op . . . nano-dentistry . . . no sign of a shop . . . they should have a shop." Rose walks around him to look closer at the screen.

"No, it's missing something else. When I was downstairs those Nurse/Cat/Nuns were talking about Intensive Care. Where is it . . .?" I shared a look with the Doctor then turned to Rose.

"You're right, well done." I told her.

"Why would they hide a whole department?" She asked. The Doctor takes his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket. "It's gotta be there somewhere. Search the sub-frame." I kept my facial expression neutral while I slipped my wand down to my hand. The Doctor turned his head to her.

"What if the sub-frame's locked?" He asked her.

"Try the installation protocol . . ." She answered.

"Yeah, course. Sorry. Hold on." He starts scanning the screen. He clicks his sonic screwdriver off and the entire wall moves downwards, revealing a secret corridor behind. Rose smiles and walks straight into it. The Doctor and I follow after her to keep her in our sight. "Intensive Care. Certainly looks intensive."

We go down some metal steps into Intensive Care. We find ourselves in a huge cavernous chamber, looking upon row and row of green doors. The Doctor walks along one of the rows and opens a door with his sonic screwdriver. A man, covered in boils and surrounded by smoke looks back at us.

"That's disgusting. What's wrong with him?" I stare at Rose in disgust. Who was this person standing beside me?

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The Doctor said to the man, horrified. Rose holds her nose while the Doctor closes the door gently and opens another.

"What disease is that?" I asked him while we stare at the woman inside.

"All of them. Every single disease in the galaxy, they've been infected with everything." He said quietly, disgusted.

"What about us? Are we safe?" Rose asked.

"The air's sterile. Just don't touch them." The Doctor shuts the door and then leans over the railing, looking upon the rows of doors. I move after him and place a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"How many patients are there?" She asked.

"They're not patients." I replied for the Doctor.

"But they're sick." The Doctor spun around, angry.

"They were born sick. They're meant to be sick. They exist to be sick. Lab rats. No wonder the Sisters have got a cure for everything. They've built the ultimate research laboratory. A Human farm." He spat out.

"Why don't they just die?" She questioned.

"Plague carriers. The last to go." I answered.

"It's for the greater cause." We turned around and spotted Novice Hame.

"Novice Hame. When you took your vows, did you agree to this?" The Doctor asked her.

"The Sisterhood has sworn to help." She said.

"What, by killing?" The Doctor shouted.

"But they're not real people. They're specially grown. They have no proper existence." She told him, gently.

"What's the turnover? Hm? Thousand a day? Thousand the next? Thousand the next? How many thousand? For how many years? How many?" The Doctor asked as he advanced dangerously, but I grabbed his arm to stop him getting to close and doing something he might regret later.

"Mankind needed us. They came to this planet with so many illnesses. We couldn't cope. We did try. We tried everything. We tried using clone-meat and bio-cattle . . . but the results were too slow. So the sisterhood grew its own flesh. That's all they are. Flesh." She said. I turned to her with a look of pure disgust on my face.

"These people are alive." I hissed at her.

"But think of those Humans out there . . . healthy . . . and happy, because of us." She replied. I shook my head.

"If they live because of this, then life is worthless." She stared at me for a moment.

"But who are you to decide that?" She asked. I looked to the Doctor then back to her. The Doctor took a step forward and stopped right in front of her with me right by his side.

"I'm the Doctor and she's the Mistress of Death. And if you don't like it . . . if you want to take it to a higher authority, then there isn't one. It stops with us." Rose peered over our shoulders.

"Just to confirm . . . none of the Humans in the city actually know about this?" She asked.

"We thought it best not —" I held up a hand to silence her.

"One second. I can understand the bodies and I can understand your vows." I glared at her, my green eyes flashing with hidden fury. "But there's one thing I can't understand — what have you done to my sister?"

"I don't know what you mean." Novice Hame said, confused.

"I'm being very calm. The only reason I'm being so very calm is that the brain is a delicate thing. Whatever you've done to my sister's head, I want it reversed now." I demanded, deadly quiet.

"We haven't done anything." Novice Hame repeated.

"I'm perfectly fine." Rose told me. I turned to her and stared her straight in the eyes.

"Theses people are dying, and Rose would of cared." I told her. She rolled her eyes and pouted.

"Oh, all right, clever clogs." She said.

"What's happened to you?" I asked her.

"I knew something was going on in this hospital, but I needed a body and a mind to find it out. I would have preferred your's but your sister worked alright." I glared at the person using my sister's body.

"Who are you?" I demanded. Rose moves over to whisper in my ear.

"The Last Human." I jolted back from her, eyes widen.

"Cassandra?" I asked, unpleasantly surprised.

"Wake up and smell the perfume." She takes a tube of perfume out from her shirt and skirts it in the Doctor's and mine face. I immediately keel over, unconscious. I groan as I wake up and look around, I was inside one of the Intensive Care cells. I move to the door of the cell and bang on the door.

"Cassandra! Cassandra!" I screamed out, ignoring the other banging sounds and yells. Cassandra comes to the door and quirks an eyebrow.

"No need to scream, big sis." She mocked. I let out another scream and kicked the door.

"Get out of her body, Cassandra. Right now." I hissed out, dangerously. I could feel my magic spiking.

"No, I don't think I will. Out of all the ways I thought I could kill you and only to realize you can't die? Well, this option works just fine. This one will kill you maybe not physically but emotional and mentally? Oh yes." I let out a shaky breath.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with Cassandra." I told her.

"Oh, but I do. It's all up here." She tapped Rose's forehand. "Now I'll leave this body when I've found a better and younger one. Now hushaby! It's showtime." I began to bang on the door again as she walked away.

"Cassandra! Come back here! Cassandra!" I shouted. I continued to bang on the door until it springs open. I step out of the cell looking for Rose. The Doctor rushes over to me, moving me out of the way from some infected people.

"What've you done?" The Doctor yelled towards Cassandra-Rose.

"Gave the system a shot of adrenaline, just to wake 'em up. See ya!" She runs off. I dash off after her, leaving the Doctor behind.

"Don't touch them!" I heard the Doctor call. "Whatever you do, don't touch!" Rose let out a scream as we run for our lives along the rows, all of the doors opening. We paused for a moment and watch all the zombies break out of their cells.

"Oh, my God . . ." I heard Cassandra-Rose say. I turned to her.

"What the hell have you done?" I asked her.

"It wasn't me!" She exclaimed.

"I want that body safe, Cassandra!" I yelled at her. The zombies were advancing on us.

"We've gotta go down!" The Doctor called.

"But there's thousands of them!" Rose said, scared.

" **RUN**! Down! Down! Go down!" We run down the stairs. The zombies followed us as we go down the stairs, arms outstretched. "Keep going! Go down!" We descended the last flight of stairs and burst through a door into a cellar. Cassandra-Rose frantically tries to operate the lifts.

"No, the lifts have closed down. That's the quarantine, nothing's moving." The Doctor, stopped.

"This way!" Rose runs the other way, with the Doctor and I on her heel. More of the infected people begin to spill out from converging corridor.

"Someone will touch him!" The Doctor begins to go back to help the man that was with Cassandra.

"Leave him! He's just a clone thing, he's only got a half life — come on!"

"Mistress!" The clone calls pitifully. Cassandra-Rose ran off in the opposite direction. I looked to the Doctor then raced after Rose to keep her in my sight.

"I'm sorry, we can't let her escape!" The Doctor called to the clone and ran after rush back to the basement, slamming the door behind us. Cassandra-Rose tries another door but seeing the zombies all clambering to get in behind it, slams it shut again.

"We're trapped! What're we going to do?" She asked, upset and scared.

"Well, for starters, you're going to leave that body." The Doctor said, angrily. Then he gestures up at the metal thing in the room with his sonic screwdriver.

"Doctor, what is that?" I asked him.

"That's a psychograft. It's banned on every civilized planet! You're compressing Rose to death." I turned to Cassandra in fear.

"Get out of my sister!" I shouted at her. She glared at me.

"I've got nowhere to go. My original skin's dead." She told us. I gave her a vicious glare.

"I don't care!" I turned to the Doctor and snatched his sonic screwdriver out of his hand and point it threateningly at her. Not even thinking about taking my wand out, it may be Cassandra right now but my baby sister was still there. "Give me my sister back, trampoline." She sneered.

"You asked for it." In a cloud of light, Cassandra leaps from Rose's body and into mine.

JTDW

Doctor's Pov

I stare on fury as Cassandra uses Jessamine's body. I point my sonic screwdriver at her, threateningly.

"Get out of her body now, Cassandra or so help me." I growled out at her. She looked up at me, Jessamine's bright green eyes give a slight eerie flash. Cassandra gave us a smirk that didn't look right on Jessamine's beautiful face.

"But what if I don't want to, Doctor?" She question while making Jessamine's voice low and husky. "Immortality is a very difficult thing to just give back." She closes her eyes and lets out a sigh of delight. "And oooooo, I can feel the power coursing through these veins. I look good, don't you think?" She asked with another smirk.

"Get out of her!" Rose shouted, causing the smirk to get wider.

"Is that a threat or an order, lil sis." She teased. Rose just gave her a glare and she turn to me. She walked over to stand in front of me. "Might as well let this sister kiss you since I let the other one do it." And with that she pulled me into a smashing kiss. After a moment she pulled back, both of us breathless. She stared at me with a thoughtful look and I raised my screwdriver at her again.

"Out. Now." I ground out through gritted teeth. She rolled her eyes and let out a huff.

"Oh, fine." She leaps out of Jessamine and into me.

JTDW

Jessa's Pov

"What . . .?" I looked around confused for a second.

"Oh, my." I snapped my head to the Doctor with wide eyes. "This is . . . different."

"Cassandra?" I asked, feeling a little awkward.

"Goodness me, I'm a man. Yum. So many parts! And hardly used . . ." She wiggles around crazily. "Ah . . ah! Two hearts! Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!" I rolled my eyes, exasperated.

"Get out of him, Cassandra." She runs a hand down his body.

"Ooh, he's slim. And a little bit foxy." She raises his eyebrows at me. "You've thought so too. I've been inside your head . . ." I looked away with a light blush on my face. She came closer. "You've been looking . . . you like it." She said, teasingly. The zombie people suddenly burst through the doors making us all jump.

"What do we do? What would he do? The Doctor — what the hell would he do?!" She cried, frantically. I raised an eyebrow at her, she just made the Doctor sound absolutely gay for a moment.

"Well, I'm never gonna let the Doctor forget this moment." I stated with a teasing smirk. She rolled her eyes at me. I look around and notice a ladder. "Use the ladder, we've got to go up." I told them. Cassandra shoves Rose roughly out of the way to get to the ladder first.

"Out of the way, Blondie!" The zombies come even closer. I push Rose to move faster and hurriedly follow after them. As we climbed up the ladder, I kept looking down to check to see if anyone was following us.

"If you get out of the Doctor's body, he can think of something." Rose called up to Cassandra.

"Yap yap yap . . . God, it was tedious inside your head. Hormone City." Cassandra sniped back. I let out sigh at their bickering.

"Can we not fight right —" I let out a scream as something grabs my ankle. I look down in panic and find Matron Casp. "Get off!" I shake my ankle a bit and grab tightly onto the handles of the ladder.

"All our good work! All that healing!" I rolled my eyes. "The good name of the Sisterhood — you have destroyed everything!"

"Go and play with a ball of string." Cassandra said, dismissively.

"Everywhere — disease! This is the Human World. Sickness!" A diseased hand grabs Matron Casp's ankle. She wails in pain and breaks out into boils. She releases my ankle and falls down the shaft.

"Move!" I shout up towards my sister and Cassandra. Cassandra lets out a whimper and hastily starts to climb the ladder again.

"Maximum quarantine. Divert all shuttles."

We get to the top of the ladder and find the doors are sealed.

"Now what do we do?" Cassandra asked.

"Use the sonic screwdriver." She takes it out of his pocket between his thumb and forefinger while wrinkling his nose.

"You mean this thing?" I let out a groan and nodded.

"Yes, I mean that thing." She looked down at it.

"Well, I don't know how — that Doctor's hidden away all his thoughts." I bit my lip for a second, thinking.

"Cassandra, do back into me." I told her.

"Hold on tight." She leaps back into me.

JTDW

Doctor's Pov

"Oh . . . wonderful." Cassandra sighed then looked up at me. "Open it!"

"Not 'til you get out of her." I point my screwdriver at her again.

"We need you, Doctor." Rose said but I ignored her.

"I order you to leave her!" I shouted, angrily. She leaps back into me.

JTDW

Jessa's Pov

"No matter how difficult the situation, there is no need to shout." I gave her an unimpressed look.

"Really, Cassandra?" She looked down at me.

"I can't go into you, he simply refuses — he's so rude." I rolled my eyes.

"Figure something out then, trampoline." She sent me a glare before looking down behind me in disgusted and reluctance.

"Oh, I am so gonna regret this . . ." Cassandra leaps from the Doctor's body and into a diseased woman's body. "Oh, sweet Lord . . . I look disgusting." The Doctor opens the lift doors and helps Rose out then holds a hand to me.

"Nice to have you back." I gave him a smile as I grab his hand and let him help out.

"No, you don't . . ." I let out a gasp of shock, falling to the floor as Cassandra leaps back into my body.

JTDW

Doctor's Pov

I quickly spun around when I heard Jessamine gasp followed by a thump. Her eyes were dazed as she stared into space. I let out a growl of annoyance.

"That was your last warning, Cassandra!" She just keeping staring.

"Inside her head . . . they're so alone . . . they keep reaching out, just to hold us . . . all their lives and they've never been touched." She said, quietly. My gaze soften, slightly. I hold my hand out to her, which she takes. I pull her to feet while the diseased people bang on the lift doors. We walk off, through a door that leads back to Ward 26. As we walk into the Ward, Frau Clovis brandishes a chair at us menacingly, roaring like a wild animal.

"We're safe! We're Safe! We're safe. We're clean! We're clean! Look, look —" The three of us start showing her our skin.

"Show me your skin." We all raised our arms high to show her.

"Look! Clean. Look — if we'd been touched, we'd be dead." Frau Clovis nods and puts the chair down. "So, how's it going up here? What's the status?"

"There's nothing but silence from the other wards. I think we're the only one left. And I've been trying to override the quarantine." She fiddles with a small device in her hands. "If I can trip a signal over to New New York, they can send a private executive squad."

"You can't do that. If they forced entry, they'd break quarantine." I told her.

"I am not dying in here." She stated, angrily.

"We can't let a single particle of disease get out — there is ten million people in that City, they'd all be at risk! Now, turn that off!" I shouted.

"Not if it gets me out." I give her a cold look.

"All right, fine. So I have to stop you lot as well. Suits me. Jessa. Rose. Novice Hame. Everyone! Excuse me your grace — get me intravenous solutions for every single disease. Move it!" I kept a watch on Cassandra as everyone gathers all of the solutions. I try a rope around my body and Cassandra attaches the solutions to it so they hang off me. "How's that? Will that do?"

"I don't know! Will it do for what?" I open the doors to the lift with my sonic screwdriver. "The lifts aren't working." I peer down the shaft.

"Not moving. Different thing." I step right back, ready for a running jump. "Here we go." I stick the sonic screwdriver between my teeth and run.

"But you're not going to —" I jump into the middle of the shaft and cling onto the rope. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"I'm going down!" I fix up the wench with my screwdriver. "Come on!"

"Not in a million years." She said.

"I need another pair of hands. What do you think? If you're so desperate to stay alive . . . why don't you live a little?" More zombies emerge from the quarantine.

"Seal the door!" Frau Clovis shouted. The door close, leaving Cassandra trapped with the zombies and no choice to jump into the lift shaft and onto my back with a regretful moan.

"You're completely mad. I can see why she likes you." I look away from her as my cheeks flared with a sudden heat.

"Going down!" We whizz down the shaft, screaming. We straighten ourselves out when we reach the bottom.

"Well, that's one way to lose weight." I rolled my eyes.

"Now, listen — when I say so, take hold of that lever." I point to the lever.

"There's still a quarantine down there, we can't —"

"Hold that lever!" I shout and she backs down. "I'm cooking up a cocktail. I know a bit about medicine myself." I rip the tops off the packets of each solution with my teeth and squirts them into the clear container where the disinfectant for the lift goes. "Now, that lever's going to resist. But keep it in position." I open a trapdoor on the top of the lift. "Hold onto it with everything you've got."

"What about you?" She asked.

"I've got an appointment. The Doctor is in." I drop down into the lift. I open the doors with the sonic screwdriver. Beyond, are all the infected people huddled in groups. When they see me, they start to come towards me. "I'm in here, come on!"

"Don't tell them!" Cassandra shouted.

"Pull that lever!" The infected people stagger towards the lift. "Come and get me, come on! I'm in here, come on!" They reach out to me.

"Commence stage one — disinfection."

"Hurry up, come on!" I beckon them towards me. The solution showers into the lift, soaking me. "Come on, come on." The infected people stumble into the shower and are also soaked with the medicine. "All they wanna do is pass it on. Pass it on!" I exclaimed, enthusiastically.

"Pass on what? Pass on what?!" Cassandra asked confused.

"Pass it on!" I grin manically as they become healthy. Cassandra jumps down into the lift with my help.

"What did they pass on? Did you kill them? **ALL** of them?" She asked.

"No. That's your way of doing things." I walk into their midst. "I'm the Doctor and I cured them." The new humans look around at their surroundings, slightly child-like. A woman comes up to me and hugs me. "That's right! Hey, hey! There we go, sweetheart! Ay? Look at him . . ." I usher her off to sit with someone. "Go on, that's it! That's it! It's a new sub-species, Cassandra!" I take a man by the shoulders and look at him.

"A brand new form of life! New Humans! Look at them, look!" I bend down to look at them with a huge smile on my face. "Grown by cats . . . kept in the dark, fed by tubes . . . but completely, completely alive!" I point at Cassandra. "You can't deny them, because you help create them." She rolls her eyes. "The human race just keeps on going. Keeps on changing. Life will out! Ha!" We walk back into the ward while the police officers swarm the hospital.

"All staff will present themselves to the officers for immediate arrest. I repeat - immediate arrest. All new life forms will be catalogued and taken into care." I watch as Novice Hame is lead away by a police officer. She catches my eye and I don't smile. "All visitors to the hospital will be required to make a statement to the NNYPD."

"The Face of Boe!" I said, suddenly remembering. _'Jessamine would probably cruse me if I forgotten.'_ I dash off again with Rose and Cassandra following after me. I approach the Face of Boe, who looked very much alive and well. "You were supposed to be dying." I said, smiling.

"There are better things to do today. Dying can wait."

"Oh, I hate telepathy. Just what I need, a head full of big face." Cassandra stated, rudely.

"Shh!" I hissed at her.

"I have grown tired with the universe, Doctor, but you have taught me to look at it anew." I kneel before him.

"There are legends you know, saying that you're millions of years old." I told him.

"There are? That would be impossible." He laughed slightly.

"Wouldn't it just? I got the impression . . . there was something you wanted to tell us . . ."

"A great secret."

"So the legend says." I repeated.

"It can wait." I stared at him, shocked.

"Oh, does it have to?" I asked, put out.

"We shall meet again, Doctor, for the third time . . . for the last time . . . and the truth shall be told. Until that day . . ." He teleports himself away.

"That is enigmatic. That — that is — that is textbook enigmatic." I said, very impressed. I nod to myself, and then stand to face Cassandra. Rose moved to stand behind me. "And now for you." Cassandra looks up at me.

"But . . . everything's happy. Everything's fine . . . can't you just leave me?" She asked.

"You've lived long enough. Leave that body and end it, Cassandra." I told her.

"I don't want to die!" She started to cry.

"No one does." I said.

"Help me!" She cried.

"I can't." Suddenly her clone appears, making Cassandra gasp.

"Mistress!" He exclaimed.

"Ah! You're alive!" She said, shock.

"I kept myself safe. For you, mistress."

"A body . . . and not just that, a volunteer . . ." She stared at Chip, cogs ticking.

"Don't you dare. He's got a life of his own." I told her, warningly.

"But I worship the mistress!" Cassandra winks at Chip. "I welcome her."

"You can't Cassandra, you —" Cassandra ignores me and leaps into Chip's body. Jessamine falls forward with a gasp. I lunge out to catch her. "Oh! You all right?" Jessamine pauses and loses her balance again. "Whoa! Okay?"

"Yes." She finally gets her bearings and gathers herself together. She smiles up at me. "Hello."

"Hello. Welcome back." I return her smile. We gaze at each other, smiling, when we're distracted again by Cassandra.

"Oh, sweet Lord. I'm a walking doodle." She grumbled.

"You can't stay in there. I'm sorry, Cassandra, but that's not fair. I can take you to the City. They can build you a skin tank and you can stand trial for what you've done." I told her.

"Well, that would be rather dramatic. Possibly my finest hour. And certainly my finest hat." The three of us glanced at each other. "But I'm afraid we don't have time. Poor little Chip is only a half-life. And he's been through so much. His heart is racing so. He's failing. I don't think he's going to last —" Her legs give way. Jessamine and I lunge forward to support him.

"You all right?" I asked her.

"I'm fine." She pauses. Jessamine and I stare at her in concern. "I'm dying. But that's fine."

"I can take you to the City." I said, calmly.

"No, you won't. Everything's new on this planet. There's no place for Chip and me anymore. You're right, Doctor. It's time to die." Rose looks on rather upset. Cassandra swallows. "And that's good." Jessamine and I help her to her feet.

"Come on. There's one last thing I can do." I replied as we lead her to the TARDIS. Once we're inside, the girls help Cassandra to a chair while I put in the destination. When the TARDIS lands, the four of us step out. We could see the proper Cassandra laughing and talking, being the life and soul of the party. Cassandra turns to me.

"Thank you."

"Just go. And don't look back." I told her.

"Good luck." Rose said. She begins to walk away when Jessamine calls out to her, causing her to turn back to us. Jessamine walks over to her and pulls her into a hug, whispering something in her ear. Whatever she said caused Cassandra's face to glow. Jessamine walked back over to me and grabbed my hand, pulling me back inside the TARDIS.

"Jessamine, we —" She turned to me with a soft, solemn look.

"She doesn't need us to watch her die, Doctor. It's time to move on." She said as walks to Rose. I pause and look at the door for one last moment then started the TARDIS up for our next trip.


	4. Tooth and Claw

I sighed as I walked to my room, toeing off my shoes as I open the door and kicked them inside. I flopped onto my bed, my coat spreading open on the sheets. I stare up at the canopy in thought.

"Sorceress?"

"Yes, Des?" I replied.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"I wonder if he notice that I'm gone yet." I said absently. I sat up and shrugged my coat off, dropping it on the floor as I walk over to my desk. I pull out a few sheets of paper and began to draw, most of them of the new Doctor. I stare down at the picture, blankly, remembering my Doctor and the adventures we shared.

"There you are!" I snapped my head towards the door. "I've been looking all over for you." The Doctor said as he walks in and sits down on my bed. _'He did notice.'_ I thought. "What are you doing here?" I wave my hand to the sheets of paper.

"I haven't been able to draw much, so I thought I'd use the downtime to do so." I told him with a small smile. He leans back on his hands, staring at me.

"I thought you where in the control room with Rose and I. Kept talking to you, not even realizing you weren't answering me back. I only notice when I asked you where you wanted to go next and it was Rose's voice that answered." I look away back to my drawings. "What's wrong, Jessamine? You've been acting different recently." I turn back to the Doctor, plastering on a big fake smile.

"Nothing's wrong, Doctor. I really just wanted to draw." I said. _'And to get away from you and Rose.'_ I thought to myself. The Doctor stared at me for a few more moments before giving me an obvious fake smile.

"All right! Well, since you weren't there to answer, we'll be going with Rose's choice." He stated as he stood up and walked towards the door.

"And what was her choice?" I asked. He turns back to me, that fake smile still in place.

"Ian Dury at the Top Rank, Sheffield, England, Earth, 21st November, 1979." He replied.

"Sounds amazing." I told him. He nods and leaves the room. I let the smile drop and stare at the door for a few moments. There was a loud bang from behind me, I turn around to see my closet door open. I stand up and walk over to it to close the door but pause when I caught sight of the blue and sliver Victorian dress I had wore when the Doctor and I met Charles Dickens.

"My Thief is very bad at getting the right year." I glanced towards the ceiling with a raised eyebrow.

"Is really the Doctor's bad driving or you changing the dates?" I questioned. Des's replied back in soft laughter.

"Hurry and get change, my Sorceress." This time I gave a true smile and took the dress out of the closet. I quickly got undress and put the dress on, using magic to tighten the corset strings. I stood in front of my mirror, fixing my hair up into a neat bun. When I was satisfied with it, I slipped on some blue shoes. I jolted a bit when Des came to a sudden halt. I leave my room, walking towards the control room. When I entered the room, I found it empty. I snapped my head towards the doors when I heard a gun click ominously. I rushed to the doors, opening them. Everyone turned their heads towards me as I stood in the doorway. I waved slightly towards the soldiers as I step out of Des. I slowly and cautiously move over to the Doctor while they pointed their guns at us.

"You will explain your presence. And the nakedness of this girl." One of the soldiers demanded. Rose looks down at herself.

"Are we in Scotland?" The Doctor asked in a Scottish accent.

"How can you be ignorant of that?" The same soldier asked.

"Oh, I'm — I'm dazed and confused. I've been chasing this . . . this wee naked child over hill and over dale. In't that right, ya . . . timorous beastie?" I pressed my face into the Doctor's shoulder to hide my bright smile and quiet giggles.

"Ooch, aye! I've been oot and aboot." Rose said in a absolutely hilariously terrible attempt at a Scottish accent. I pressed my face harder into the Doctor's shoulder as he winced at Rose's attempt.

"No, don't do that." he told her.

"Hoots mon!" she replied.

"No, really don't. Really." He said. I move my head away from his shoulder after I got controlled of myself.

"Will you identify yourself, sir?" The soldier asked.

"I'm Doctor James McCrimmon." The Doctor pointed to himself then to me. "And this is my wife, Lillian. From the . . . Township of Balamory. Eh . . . I have my credentials, if I may . . ." He gestures towards his pocket and the soldier nods. He lowers his hands whilst he fumbles in his pocket and produces the psychic paper. The Doctor shows it to them. "As you can see, a Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. I trained under Doctor Bell himself.

"Let them approach." Came a female voice from the carriage.

"I don't think that's wise, ma'am." the soldier replies.

"Let them approach." The Doctor gestures towards the carriage, the man has no choice but to let us approach.

"You will approach the carriage. And show all due deference." The Doctor does an 'aye aye, Captain' sort of signal, and we approach the carriage. One of the footmen opens the door and reveals Queen Victoria. I let out a soft gasp and grab hold of the Doctor's hand in excitement.

"Lillian, Rose — might I introduce her Majesty Queen Victoria. Empress of India and Defender of the Faith." I stared at her in awe while I curtsey.

"It's an honour to meet you, your Majesty." I told her.

"You as well, Lady McCrimmon." I stood back up.

"Rose Tyler, Ma'am. And my apologies . . . for being so naked." Rose curtsey with a nervous laugh.

"I've had five daughters. It's nothing to me. But you, Doctor . . . show me these credentials." The Doctor obligingly hands the psychic paper over, and the Queen studies it for a moment. "Why didn't you say so immediately? It states clearly here that you have been appointed by the Lord Provost as my Protector." I looked at the Doctor in surprise as he turns to me shocked before turning back to the Queen.

"Does it? Yes, it does! Good! Good! Um . . . then let me ask — why is Your Majesty traveling by road when there's a train all the way to Aberdeen?" He asked her.

"A tree on the line." She stated.

"An accident?" I questioned, she turned to me with a small smile.

"I am the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Everything around me tends to be planned." She told me.

"An assassination attempt?" I asked. She nodded in answer.

"What, seriously? There's people out to kill ya?" I barely held back the eye roll at Rose's question. The Queen raised an eyebrow at her.

"I'm quite used to staring down the barrel of a gun." She said.

"Sir Robert MacLeish lives but ten miles hence. We'll send word ahead, he'll shelter us for tonight, then we can reach Balmoral tomorrow." The soldier from before said, now on his horse behind us.

"This Doctor, his wife, and his . . . timorous beastie will come with us." The Queen told him.

"Yes, Ma'am. We'd better get moving — it's almost nightfall." The Queen nodded in agreement.

"Indeed. And there are stories of wolves in these parts." I glance up at the Queen in interest.

"Wolves, your Majesty?" I asked, softly. The Queen turned to me with a twinkle in her eye.

"Fanciful tales intended to scare the children. But good for the blood, I think." I nodded and went to back away when a hand placed itself on my shoulder. I look up to the Queen, curious. "Would you care to join me in the carriage, Lady McCrimmon?" I stared at her with wide eyes then looked to the Doctor over my shoulder. He nodded with a bright smile on his lips. I return the smile then turn back to the Queen.

"I would be honored, your Majesty." I gave her another curtsey before one of the footmen helped me into the carriage.

"Very good. Drive on!" The Queen ordered then the door was shut. The Queen turns to me and stares at me for a moment. "You're quite the beauty, Lady McCrimmon. Your husband is a very lucky man." I bowed my head.

"Thank you, Ma'am." I said in a soft voice.

"How did you and your husband come by the naked child?" She asked. A light blush spread through my cheeks.

"I'm afraid to say that the child is my baby sister." I told her. "My younger twin brother decided to join the Navy, leaving her to my husband and mine care as our parents are no longer here and no man wants her." The Queen grabbed my hand and gave it a few reassuring pats to it.

"Don't fret, child. One day she'll learn." I gave her a small smile. Soon the carriage was pulling up to a Sir Robert's house. A footmen opens the door of the carriage, helping the Queen down first then me. A man emerges from a doorway and approaches the Queen, a bald man behind him. I narrow my eyes at the bald man when he looked at me, his eyes narrowed as well. Something wasn't right here.

"Your Majesty." The first man bows.

"Sir Robert. My apologies for the emergency. And how is Lady Isobel?" The Queen asked.

"She's . . . indisposed, I'm afraid — she's gone to Edinburgh for the season. And she's taken the cook with her — the kitchens are barely stocked . . . I wouldn't blame Your Majesty if you wanted to ride on." I turn to the Doctor and we shared a look, recognizing that Sir Robert would rather the Queen stayed away.

"Oh, not at all! I've had quite enough carriage exercise. And this is . . . charming. If rustic. It's my first visit to this house. My late husband spoke of it often. The Torchwood Estate. Now, shall we go inside?" The Queen replied, cheerfully. Sir Robert looked reluctant, but the Queen doesn't notice. "And please excuse the naked girl."

"Sorry." Rose spoke up. The Doctor went to open his mouth but I grabbed his hand, stepping forward towards Sir Robert.

"My sister's a feral child. Our brother brought her up when I got married and our parents passed away. So you must excuse her behavior." I told him with a small curtsey. Sir Robert gives a tight smile and bows.

"Thinks she's funny but I'm so not amused." Rose looks pointedly at Queen Victoria. "What do you think, Ma'am?" The Queen gives her a unimpressed look.

"It hardly matters. Shall we proceed?" Sir Robert nods and we begin to make our way into the house.

"So close." Rose says to the Doctor. I raised an eyebrow at them but choose not to ask.

"Makerson and Ramsey, you will escort the Property. Hurry up." I look back towards the soldier, thinking he was the captain of the group now.

"Yes, sir." The two soldiers replied. One of them takes a small wooden box from the carriage and carries it carefully to the house.

"What's in there, then?" The Doctor asked, interested.

"Property of the Crown. You will dismiss any further thoughts, sir." The Doctor pulls a face to me, causing me to cover my smile with a hand. "The rest of you go to the rear of the house. Assume your designated positions."

"You heard the orders. Positions, sir." A soldier told the Doctor. He nods towards the house and offers an arm to me. I take his arm and we follow the others into the house. Sir Roberts takes down a hallway and into a room where there is what looks like an enormous telescope in the middle of the room. I gaze at it with a fond smile, remembering my days back at Hogwarts in Astronomy class.

"This, I take it, is the famous Endeavour." The Queen stated.

"All my father's work. Built by hand in his final years. Became something of an obsession — he spent his money on this rather than caring for the house or himself." Sir Robert told us.

"I wish I'd met him, I like him. That thing's beautiful — can I um . . .?" The Doctor asked, smiling while he gestured towards it.

"Help yourself." The Doctor and I move forward to examine the telescope and the wheel next to it.

"What did he model it on?" I asked him.

"I know nothing about it. To be honest, most of us thought him a little . . . shall we say, eccentric." The Doctor gives a dopey laugh. "I wish now I'd spent more time with him. And listened to his stories." I noticed the glance Sir Roberts made at the Queen.

"It's a bit rubbish." The Doctor said as he peers through it. I nudge his arm lightly to get his attention while a smile grew on my lips. "How many prisms has it got? Way too many. The magnification's gone right over the top, that's stupid kind of a —" I nudged him harder this time, he turns to me. "Am I being rude again?" He asked, quietly.

"Yes, you are, James." I told him with a smile. He smiles back and turns to Sir Robert and the Queen.

"But it's pretty! It's very . . . pretty." I pat him fondly on the arm for trying.

"And the imagination of it should be applauded." The Queen said. Rose turned to her.

"Mm! Thought you might disapprove, You Majesty. Stargazing. Isn't that a bit fanciful?" Queen Victoria stares at her. "You could easily . . . not be amused, or something . . .? No?"

"This device surveys the infinite work of God." The Doctor shakes his head at Rose with a vague smile on his face. "What could be finer? Sir Robert's father was an example to us all. A polymath. Steeped in astronomy and sciences, yet equally well versed in folklore and fairytales."

"Stars and magic." I said with a breathless sigh as I turn to the telescope with fond eyes. The Doctor stared at me for a few moments with a gentle smile. "I wish I could of met him." The Doctor nods as he wanders around the telescope to examine it some more.

"Oh, my late husband enjoyed his company." The Queen said then turned to Rose. "Prince Albert himself was acquainted with many rural superstitions, coming as he did from Saxe Coburg."

"That's Bavaria." I whispered in Rose's ear. Queen Victoria turns to Sir Robert.

"When Albert was told about your local wolf, he was transported." She told him.

"So, what's this wolf, then?" The Doctor asked.

"It's just a story." Sir Robert replied. I turned to him.

"Then tell it." I told him. He glances around at the bald man, very uncomfortably.

"It's said that —" He starts, haltingly.

"Excuse me, sir. Perhaps her Majesty's party could repair to their rooms. It's almost dark." The bald man, interrupted.

"Of course. Yes, of course." Sir Robert agreed. I narrowed my eyes at the man again, a bad feeling flowing from him.

"And then supper. And . . . could we find some clothes for Miss Tyler? I'm tired of nakedness." The Queen said.

"It's not amusing, is it?" Rose asked, pointedly. I let my eyes roll this time. Queen Victoria glances around at her and decides to ignore her comment and turns back to Sir Robert. The Doctor mutters something to Rose, who pokes him in the chest. I felt my lips turn down into a light frown before turning back to the Queen.

"Sir Robert, your wife must've left some clothes. See to it. We shall dine at seven. And talk some more of this wolf. After all . . . there is a full moon tonight." The Queen told him.

"So there is, Ma'am." He bows, and the Queen leaves the room followed by the rest of us. The bald man leads my sister towards a room to change close while another leads the rest of us to the dining room. The main bald man returns without Rose. I grab the Doctor's hand, tightly. He gives it a gentle squeeze in return to relax my grip.

"Your sister begs an apology, Lady McCrimmon. Her clothing has somewhat delayed her." The man told me.

"Oh, that's all right. Save her a wee bit of ham." The Doctor replied.

"The feral child could probably eat it raw." The Queen sassed, causing me to smile slightly.

"Very wise, Ma'am! Very witty!" The Captain gave a loud laugh, almost causing me to let out an unladylike snort.

"Slightly witty, perhaps. I know you rarely get the chance to dine with me, Captain, but don't get too excited . . . I shall contain my wit in case I do you further injury." The Queen said as she stared at him, appraisingly.

"Yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am." The Captain replied, meekly.

"Besides, we're all waiting on Sir Robert! Come, Sir! You promised us a tale of nightmares." The Doctor said.

"Indeed. Since my husband's death, I find myself with more of a taste for supernatural fiction." The Queen stated with a bit of sorrow in her voice. I turn to her with soft eyes.

"You must miss him." I said. She looks at me.

"Very much." She seemed to be lost in her thoughts, very sad. "Oh, completely. And that's the charm of a ghost story, isn't it? Not the scares and chills, that's just for children, but the . . . hope of some contact with the great beyond." The Doctor and I were looking at her, intensely.

"We all want some message from that place . . . it's the Creator's greatest mystery that we are allowed no such consolation. The dead stay silent. And we must wait." She shrugs herself out of this line of thought, but the Doctor and I remain solemn, I stared at the wall lost in thought as the ghosts of past pop up to the front of my mind. The Doctor looking down as he's probably remembering his own people. I look over to him and squeeze his hand, lightly. He looked up at me, his eyes glazed over. I give a small smile and press a kiss to his cheek.

"I'm here now, you're not alone." I whisper for him to hear only. "I will never leave you." He gives me a shaky smile and brings my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to it and leaves it there. We stare into each other's eyes for a moment, missing the Queen's soft glance.

"Come! Begin your tale, Sir Robert. There's a chill in the air. The wind is howling through the eaves. Tell us of monsters!" I winced slightly at the used word but don't say anything as we listen to Sir Robert.

"The story goes back three hundred years. Every full moon, the howling rings through the valley. The next morning, livestock is found ripped apart and . . . devoured." He started.

"Tales like this just disguise the work of thieves. Steal a sheep and blame a wolf, simple as that." The Captain said, comfortably. Queen Victoria looks mildly irritated at this.

"But sometimes a child goes missing. Once in a generation. A boy will vanish from his homestead." I tilted my head, intrigued.

"Are there descriptions of the creature?" The Doctor asked.

"Oh yes, Doctor. Drawings and woodcarvings. And it's not merely a wolf. It's more than that. This is a man who becomes an animal." I stared at Sir Robert in shock.

"A werewolf." I whispered, the Doctor leans forward, intrigued now.

"My father didn't treat it as a story. He said it was fact. He even claimed to have communed with the beast - to have learned its purpose." I watch as the bald man attention is caught by something outside the window. "I should've listened." He said, regretfully. He glances around at the bald man.

"His work was hindered — he made enemies. There's a Monastery in the Glen of Saint Catherine. The Brethren opposed my father's investigations." Sir Robert spoke, quickly.

"Perhaps they thought his work ungodly." The Queen said. I snap my head to the man when he started to speak in Latin.

"That's what I thought. But now I wonder . . . what if they had a different reason for wanting the story kept quiet?" The Doctor attention is soon on the bald man by the window, chanting in Latin. "What if they turned from God and worshipped the wolf?"

"And what if they were with us right now?" The Doctor questioned, watching the man, the penny dropping. The man was still at the window, chanting while the rest of the room went into chaos.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Queen demanded. I started to look around the room when I realized Rose had yet to show up.

"Explain yourself, Sir Robert!" The Captain points his gun at him.

"What's happening —"

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, they've got my wife." Robert told her. I turned to the bald man in fury.

"Where's Rose? Where is my sister!" I yelled at him. He ignores me and carries on chanting. I start to walk towards him but the Doctor grabbed my arm and starts to drag me to the door.

"Sir Robert — come on!" The Doctor yelled to him, losing his Scottish accent. We raced out of the room and down the corridor. The Doctor and I follow Sir Robert to the cellar where we heard screaming coming form it. The Doctor kicks down the door to the cellar.

"Where the hell have you two been?" Rose asked. I went to say something when growling caught my attention. I turn around and was greeted with the werewolf. I stare at it with wide-eyed awe as it grabs hold of the bars of the cage. I move a bit closer to the cage.

"You poor thing." I whispered. The werewolf turned it's head to me and stared straight into my eyes.

"Get out!" The wolf suddenly growls again and begins to bend and break the bars, throwing the cage off. I let out a gasp, stumbling a few steps backwards before falling onto the floor. The Doctor rushes over to me and helps me up as the wolf stands tall, free of the cage. He throws the top of it across the room, narrowly missing the Doctor and I. We make a run for it, slamming the door behind us. The Doctor locks it with his sonic screwdriver.

"That isn't going to stop him!" I exclaimed to him as he pulls me away from the cellar.

"No but sure as does gives us time to run!" He yelled back.

"What is it with you and running, you madman!" I let out a soft giggle at the bright smile I received from him. He lead us into the kitchen and helped Rose out of her handcuffs.

"It could be any form of light modulated species triggered by specific wavelengths — did it say what it wanted?" The Doctor asked her very fast.

"The Queen, the Crown, the throne — you name it." There's a thumping sound coming from the direction of the cellar, we all look around. The Doctor ventures out into the corridor to investigate and I follow after him, peering around his shoulder. The wolf has managed to knock down the door and stood at the other end of the corridor.

"I told you it wouldn't work!" I told him as he drags me back into the room after the werewolf growls. He grabs Rose and pulls us behind the line of men with guns poised and ready.

"Fire!" They shoot at the wolf causing it to stumble back a few steps.

"Don't shoot him!" I cried but they fired again, causing Rose and I to flinch. The room was full of smoke and there's no sign of the wolf.

"All right, you men, we should retreat upstairs, come with me." The Doctor told them.

"I'll not retreat. The battle's done. There's no creature on God's Earth that could survive such an assault." An old man snarked.

"But that creature isn't from Earth!" I tried to get him to understand but he ignored me.

"I'm telling you, come upstairs!" The Doctor spoke, angrily.

"And I'm telling you, sir, that I will sleep well tonight with that thing's hide upon my wall." He strides across the room to look down the corridor, checking on the wolf. The Doctor and I watch him while I pull Rose to me. The Doctor looked extremely angry while I was conceded. Apparently seeing nothing, he strides back looking triumphant.

"Must've crawled away to die —" And he's lifted clean through the ceiling by the wolf and we could him being devoured. Rose let out a cry of shock and terror and I clutched her close, tucking her head in-between my neck and shoulder. The Doctor turned to me and I stare at him with wide eyes.

"There's nothing we can do." I nodded and the three of us rushed out of the room with Sir Robert following after us, trying to ignore the screams of the dying men. We hurry into another room and the Doctor slams the door behind us, locking it again with his sonic screwdriver.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" Sir Robert called.

"Sir Robert! What's happening?" She asked as she came down the stairs. I watch the Doctor dash off somewhere. "I heard such terrible noises."

"Your Majesty — we've got to get out. But what of Father Angelo? Is he still here?" Sir Robert asked.

"Captain Reynolds disposed of him." I glanced at the Queen at her lie.

"The front door's no good, it's been boarded shut. Pardon me, Your Majesty — you'll have to leg it out of a window." The Doctor said as he came back from wherever he went. He gestures through a door and Queen Victoria obliges with her head held high. We go up the stairs into another room.

"Excuse my manners, Ma'am, but I shall go first, the better to assist Her Majesty's egress." Sir Robert said.

"A noble sentiment, my Sir Walter Raleigh." I rolled my eyes, _'We don't have time for this.'_

"Yeah, any chance you could hurry up?" The Doctor asked, impatiently. Sir Robert climbs onto the window sill and has to immediately dodge out of the way as he's shot at by whoever's standing outside. The Doctor stares out of the window, eyes wide. "I reckon the monkey boys want us to stay inside." I turned to him.

"You mean there's more of those baldies?" I asked in shock.

"Do they know who I am?" The Queen asked.

"Yeah, that's why they want ya. The wolf's lined you up for a . . . a biting." Rose told her.

"Now, stop this talk. There can't be an actual wolf." The words are no sooner out of her mouth when a howl rings through the house. We spin around, alarmed, then leave the room hurriedly. We run into a hallway and the wolf is battering on the door.

"What do we do?" Rose asked.

"We . . . run!" The Doctor exclaimed.

"Is that it?!" I turned to Rose.

"You got any silver bullets?" I asked her.

"Not on me, no!" She answered.

"There we are then, we run. Your Majesty, as a Doctor, I recommend a vigorous jog." The Doctor jogs on the spot to demonstrate. "Good for the health. Come on!" He grabs the Queen's hand and leads her from the room. We run as fast as we can up the staircase. I snap my head back to look behind me when I hear a door be broken down. The wolf is soon bounding up the staircase after us.

"Come on! Come on!" Having reached the top of the stairs, we run through the corridors, the wolf close on our tails. It's nearly upon us, ready to pounce when Captain Reynolds appears holding a gun. He shoots and the wolf reels backwards down the corridor. The Captain ducks behind the corridor where we're standing, out of breath.

"I'll take this position and hold it. You keep moving, for God's sake! Your Majesty — I went to look for the property, it was taken. The chest was empty." He said.

"I have it. It's safe."

"Then remove yourself, Ma'am. Doctor, you stand as Her Majesty's Protector. And you, Sir Robert — you're a traitor to the crown." He cocks his gun.

"Normal bullets can't stop it!" I told him. He turns to me with a stern grimace.

"They'll buy you time. Now, run!" He positions himself at the end of the corridor, gun held ready. Queen Victoria and Sir Robert have already started running in the opposite direction, followed by the Doctor, and Rose. I slowed my run and turn back to look at the Captain watching him for a few seconds before rolling my eyes at myself.

"Of all the stupid things you do, Jessamine this has to be the stupidest." I told myself and ran back to Reynolds. I take the gun from him and push him towards the others. "Go! Just run!" I yelled at him and he did so, after a moment of hesitance. I turn back to the wolf and we stare at one another for a few moments. I toss the gun away from me and hold my hands up. I take a step back then with a flick on my wrist, my wand pops out of it's holder and into my hand.

"Sorry, mate." I point my wand at the wolf. "Bombarda!" I shouted, watching the wolf fly through the wall then bolted to the library.

"Jessamine!" The Doctor shouted just as I reached the door. He grabs me around the waist and pulls me into the room just in time to slam the door shut. He holds me close to him for a few moments then pushes me away, holding me by my shoulders. "What the bloody hell were you thinking?!" He shouted.

"Saving that man!" I shouted in return. He gives me a glare then releases me, walking away to help Rose and Sir Robert to barricade the door.

"Wait a minute, shh, shh, wait a minute . . ." The wolf howls into the silence. "It's stopped." He stands on the chair and presses his ear against the door. "It's gone." Footsteps can be heard padding around the outside of the room.

"Listen . . ." The Doctor climbs quietly down from the chair and there's dead silence in the library as we follow the wolf's progress around the room, absolutely terrified. The Queen is shaking violently while Reynolds keeps guard over her.

"Is this the only door?" The Doctor whispered.

"Yes. No!" And Sir Robert dashes to the other door with the Doctor and they barricade it shut.

"Shh!" I silence them. We look around uneasily as we hear the sounds the werewolf is making — and then it stops. Footsteps pad away into the distance. I stare at the door, confused. "I don't understand. What's stopping it?"

"Something inside this room." The Doctor said, as he looks around. "What is it? Why can't it get in?" He questioned, confused.

"I'll tell you what, through . . ." I look over to Rose with a raised eyebrow as she addresses the Doctor.

"What?" He asked.

"Werewolf . . .!" My eyes widen.

"I know!" Rose half laughs and they throw their arms around each other. "You all right?"

"I'm okay, yeah!" I continue to stare at them, eyes wide.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. It's all my fault. I should've sent you away. I tried to suggest something was wrong, I... thought you might notice. Did you think there was nothing strange about my household staff?" Sir Robert said from behind us.

"Well, they were bald, athletic . . . your wife's away, I just thought you were happy." I narrow my eyes at the Doctor.

"I'll tell you what though, Ma'am, I bet you're not amused now." I snapped my head at Rose, royally pissed.

"Do you think this is funny, Rose?!" I asked her, angrily. My words almost coming out in a hiss. She looks at me meekly.

"No, Jessa, I'm sorry." I shake my head at her and turn away from them, to angry to look at them.

"What, exactly, I pray someone please — what exactly is that creature?" The Queen asked.

"You'd call it a werewolf, but technically it's a more of a lupine wavelength haemovariform." The Doctor said, scratching his head awkwardly.

"And why should we trust you, sir? You who change your voice so easily? What happened to your accent?" Reynolds asked.

"Oh . . . right, sorry —" The Doctor realized.

"I'll not have it. No, sir — not you . . . not that thing . . . none of it. This is not my world." The Queen stated. Then she turned away from us, speaking with Reynolds quietly. The Doctor wonders around the room, touching the woodwork.

"Mistletoe . . . Sir Robert, did your father put that there?" The Doctor asked. I walked over to him to look at the mistletoe carving.

"I don't know, I suppose . . ."

"On the other door, too . . . a carving wouldn't be enough . . . I wonder . . ." He said, thinking aloud before licking the woodwork. I pull a face at this new trait of his. "Viscum album, the oil of the mistletoe — it's been worked into the wood like a varnish! How clever was your dad? I love him!" He turns to Rose and I. "Powerful stuff, mistletoe. Bursting with lectins and viscotoxins."

"I know. It's an potion ingredient." I told him quietly so the others couldn't hear.

"And the wolf's allergic to it?" Rose asked. I shook my head and turn to her.

"Werewolf's are allergic to silver, only. This one just thinks it is. I'm guessing the monks needed a way of controlling him, so they probably trained it to react against certain things." I replied, turning back to study the carving.

"Nevertheless, that creature won't give up, Doctor, and we still don't possess an actual weapon." I rolled my eyes at Sir Roberts complaint.

"Oh, your father got all the brains, didn't he?" The Doctor asked, rudely.

"Your being rude again." I whispered to him.

"Good. I meant that one." He strides towards the book shelves. "You want weapons? We're in a library. Books! Best weapons in the world." He puts his glasses on. "This room's the greatest arsenal we could have." He pulls some books off the shelf and chucks some to me. "Arm yourself." Rose, the Doctor, Sir Robert and I were frantically flicking through the books, talking over one another.

"Biology, zoology . . . there might be something on wolves in here . . ." The Doctor chucks a book to me.

"Hold on, what about this?" I flick through the pages.

". . . some form of explosive . . ." Sir Robert muttered, flicking through his book.

"Hmm, that's the sort of thing. Ooh. . ." The Doctor jumps down from the ladder, holding a book which he puts down on the table. "Look what your old dad found. something fell to Earth." On the page there was an illustration of a rock falling to Earth from the sky. We gather around.

"A spaceship?" Rose asked.

"A shooting star." Sir Rober begins to read from the book. "In the year of our Lord, 1540, under the reign of King James the Fifth, an almighty fire did burn in the pit." That's the Glen of Saint Catherine just by the Monastery."

"That was over three hungered years ago. Why now, why not when it came?" I thought aloud.

"Maybe just a single cell survived. Adapting slowly down the generations. It survived through the humans. Host after host after host." The Doctor said.

"But why does it want the throne?" Sir Robert asked.

"That's what it wants. It said so, the . . . the Empire of the Wolf." Rose told us.

"Imagine it . . . the Victorian Age accelerated . . . starships and missiles fueled by coal and driven by steam . . . leaving history devastated in its wake . . ." The Doctor said with foreboding.

"Sir Robert!" The Queen called, standing. He goes to her. "If I am to die here . . ."

"Don't say that, Your Majesty." He replied.

"I would destroy myself rather than let that creature infect me. But that's no matter. I ask only that you find some place of safekeeping for something far older and more precious than myself." She opens her bag.

"Hardly the time to worry about your valuables." The Doctor called from the table. I slapped his shoulder causing him to pout at me.

"Rude." I whispered.

"Thank you for your opinion. But there is nothing more valuable than this." And she takes the Koh-I-Noor from her bag and holds it in the palm of her hand.

"That's the Koh-I-Noor." I said amazed.

"Oh, yes . . . the greatest diamond in the world." We shuffled forward for a closer look.

"Given to me as the spoils of war. Perhaps its legend is now coming true. It is said that whoever owns it must surely die." The Queen said.

"Well, that's true of anything if you own it long enough. Can I. . .?" The Doctor holds out his hand for the diamond. Queen Victoria gives it to him. He pushes his glasses down his nose to look at it closely. Rose comes over and prods it, eyes wide. "That is so beautiful."

"How much is that worth?" Rose questioned.

"They say . . . the wages of the entire planet for a whole week." I peered at it then shared a look with Rose.

"Good job mum's not here. She'd be fighting the wolf off with her bare hands for that thing." I said.

"And she'd win." The Doctor replied. Rose and I laughed.

"Where is the wolf?" Sir Robert asked as he walks away. "I don't trust this silence."

"Why do you travel with it?" The Doctor asked the Queen.

"My annual pilgrimage. I'm taking it to Helier and Carew. The Royal Jewellers at Hazelhead. The stone needs recutting." She replied.

"Oh, but it's perfect." Rose said.

"My late husband never thought so." The Doctor removed his glasses.

"Now, there's a fact — Prince Albert kept on having the Koh-I-Noor cut down. It used to be forty percent bigger than this. But he was never happy. Kept on cutting and cutting." The Queen gazed at the diamond with a fond look.

"He always said . . . the shine was not quite right. But he died with it still unfinished." She told us.

"Unfinished . . . oh, yes!" The Doctor exclaimed with realization. He tosses the Koh-I-Noor back to Queen Victoria, who catches it while giving him a startled look. "There's a lot of unfinished business in this house. His father's research — your husband, Ma'am, he came here and he sought the perfect diamond — hold on, hold on —" He says very fast, working it out. He ruffles his hair violently in his eagerness to work it out. "all these separate things, they're not separate at all, they're connected! Oh, my head, my head! What if — this house, it's a trap for you — is that right, Ma'am?"

"Obviously."

"At least, that's what the wolf intended. But! What if there's a trap inside the trap?" We stared at him confused.

"Explain yourself, Doctor." We all nodded in agreement with the Queen.

"What if his father and your husband weren't just telling each other stories. They dared to imagine all this was true. And they planned against it. Laying the real trap not for you . . . but for the wolf." A fine sprinkling of plaster falls from the ceiling. We all look up, and the werewolf was walking over the glass dome above our heads, looking down at us.

"That wolf there . . ." The glass of the dome starts to crack, the Doctor and I throw down out boorks and together with Queen Victoria and Rose run to the door. "Out! Out! Out!" As the werewolf crashes through, smashing the desk, we destroy the barricade and run out into the corridor.

"Your Majesty!" Reynolds calls. The Doctor takes one last look at the roaring wolf before slamming the doors closed. The six of us run down the corridor.

"Gotta get to the observatory!" We careen around a corner, the werewolf close behind. Rose turns around and just as the wolf comes closer, she screams. I spin around to her when a woman throws a pan of water onto the wolf. Rose screams again, but the werewolf bounds back down the corridor away from us. "Good shot!"

"It was mistletoe!" The Doctor follows the wolf a way down the corridor. I grab hold of Rose and bring her to me, letting her hold onto me tightly.

"Isobel!" Sir Robert and his wife kiss as the Doctor and Captain Reynolds make sur the wolf has gone. "Get back downstairs."

"Keep yourself safe." He nods and they kiss again.

"You go." Lady Isobel and the maids go past Sir Robert and make their way back to the kitchen.

"Girls, come with me. Down the Back stairs, back to the kitchen. Quickly!" I watch them for a second, calling to them.

"Take my sister, please. Make sure she stays safe." Lady Isobel watches me for a moment before nodding. I push Rose to her and she wraps an arm around her as they run off.

"Come on!" We heard the Doctor call and we set off at a run again, down the corridor.

"The observatory's this way!" We reach the central staircase and hurry up it as fast as we could but the werewolf recovers and returns to the chase. We final arrive at the observatory, the Doctor in the lead.

"No mistletoe on these doors, your father wanted the wolf to get inside! Get inside, I just need time! Is there any way of barricading this?!" The Doctor exclaimed.

"Just do your work and I'll defend it." I spun towards Sir Robert.

"No, you will not! You promise your wife to return to her and that's what you're going to do!" Everyone turn to me with wide eyes. "I'll defend it. Every time the wolf see me, it stops and just stares." I said, softly. "Now get inside." The Queen, Captain, and Sir Robert went into the room but the Doctor stood still and stared at me.

"Jessamine, don't do this please." He whispered.

"I have to, Doctor. I can't let there be more pointless deaths. I'm sorry." I told him. He shook his head and took a hold of my shoulders.

"Jessamine —" I grabbed his jacket lapels and pulled him in, placing a soft kiss on his lips. When I pulled away from him, I placed a hand on his cheek.

"Trust me, Doctor." I whispered then pushed him inside the room, shutting and locking the door magically. I turn away from the door, ignoring the Doctor's yells. I could hear the howls of the wolf coming down the corridor. I arm myself with my wand as the werewolf bounds up the stairs.

JTDW

Doctor pov

"Jessamine, open the door! Jessamine!" I shouted to her from the other side but she didn't answer. I leaned my head on the door for a moment, taking a deep breath and turning to the others. "Your Majesty, the diamond."

"For what purpose?" She asked.

"The purpose it was designed for." She hands over the diamond from her bag. I run over to the mechanism for the telescope. "Sir Robert!" He runs over to me. "Lift it! Come on!" Sir Robert and I struggle to turn the wheel, but the cogs start to shift and the telescope to rise.

"Is this the right time for stargazing?" Sir Robert asked, out of breath from straining against the wheel.

"Yes, it is."

JTDW

Jessa pov

The werewolf finally found me, guarding the door. He approaches slowly before stopping a few inches from me. He sniffed the air around me before staring me straight in the eye. I raised my wand at him with a determine face.

"I'm not one to give second chances, but I will if you stand down. I don't want to fight you." I told him. He let out a bark almost like he was laughing. I narrowed my eyes at him. "I'm not like the rest of them and you can tell that. I won't hesitate to kill you if it means to protect them." The wolf growls at me this time. Then he jumped at me.

"Bombarda Maxima!" I shouted then dodge out of the way of the blast. The wolf got up and launched at me again. "Crucio!" I yelled and watch the wolf fall to the ground, whimpering and whining in pain. I stop the cruse when the wolf stopped making sounds, breathing heavily as I watch the wolf warily. I close my eyes for a second which was a mistake. I let out a scream when I'm thrown at the wall, I bang into the wall with a loud thump before crumpling to the floor. My eyes flutter as the wolf limps over to me and stands over me.

"Do it." I whispered before my eyes shut and my world goes dark. The last thing I feel is my warm blood running down from the back of my head.

JTDW

Doctor pov

I stare at the door, hopelessly terrified when I heard Jessamine scream then silence. We all jump when the werewolf starts battering the door. The gears continue to grind.

"You said this thing doesn't work!" Reynolds yells.

"It doesn't work as a telescope because that's not what it is! It's a light chamber! It magnifies the light rays like a weapon. We've just got to power it up!" I replied.

"But how?" I grunt and turn to the light chamber. "Moonlight! It needs moonlight!" Sir Robert exclaimed.

"You're seventy percent water but you can still drown. Come on!" The Light Chamber finally starts to align with the moon. "Come on!" At last it's properly aligned. Sir Robert and I step away from the gears as the moonlight bounces off the prisms. Just as the werewolf breaks through the door, the light spews forth from the end of the light chamber onto the floor far short of the werewolf. The werewolf advances on the Queen but I dive across the floor and throw the Koh-I-Noor into the beam of light. A fantastic, prismatic beam of light hits the werewolf. He's lifted off the floor and hands there, caught in the wash of moonlight. As we look on, the werewolf retakes human form.

"Make it brighter. Let me go." The host said, quietly. I slowly walk across to the light chamber and flick a switch. With a final howl from the wolf form, the creature vanishes and the light shuts off. Sir Robert breathes a huge sigh of relief. The Queen, however, was staring intently at some wound on her wrist. The Captain and I notice her.

"Your Majesty? Did it bite you?" Reynolds asked.

"No, it's . . . it's a cut." She said.

"If that thing bit you . . ." I trailed off.

"It was a splinter of wood when the door came apart." She replied.

"Let me see." I go for her hand.

"It is nothing." She pulls her hand away sharply. I stare at her, not believing her. I shook my head and race out of the room to go find Jessamine. I look around the corridor until I turn towards a corner of the hallway and found her. She was on her back with a small pool of blood surrounding her head.

"Jessamine!" I cried and kneeled next to her, gathering her up into my arms. The others came out of the room as I try to stop the bleeding. The others had wide eyes as they watched me. "I'm here, Jessamine. Please, open your eyes." I told her as I tear off some fabric of her dress to tie it around her head. "You have to open your eyes, please. Don't leave me." I continue to ramble on and on, trying to get her to wake up.

"Doctor." I snap my eyes to hers.

"Jessamine." I whispered, she gave me a small smile. She raised a hand and placed it on my cheek again, wiping away the few tears that ran down my cheek.

"Please, shut up. Your making my head hurt." She patted my cheek as I pouted while the others chuckle. Jessamine lets out a groan as she sits up and looks around. "The wolf?" She asked me.

"Gone." I answered. Her eyes gazed slightly with sorrow but nodded with a sigh. "There's nothing you've could of done, Jessamine."

"I know." She said, quietly. "Let's go get Rose before she has a heart attack." I help her stand up and down to the kitchen. As we entered the kitchen, Rose launched herself at Jessamine causing her to let out a painful moan. "Easy, Rose."

"You're alive! I heard you scream and I thought . . ." Rose sobbed. Jessamine smiled and clutched her sister tightly.

"Takes more then a head wound to kill me, Rose." She told her. Jessamine turn to Isobel as Rose calmed down. "Thank you for taking care of her."

"And thank you for saving my husband." Isobel returned. We all walk out of the kitchen and into a hall where the Queen called Rose, Jessamine, and I to step forward.

"Kneel." I helped Jessamine to kneel before the Queen.

"By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee: Sir Doctor of TARDIS." She taps me on each shoulder with a sword then turns to Rose. "By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee: Dame Rose of the Powell Estate." She taps Rose on each shoulder then finally turns to Jessamine with a smile.

"Jessamine, for your bravery and sacrifice, I dub thee: Baronetess of TARDIS." The Queen taps a shocked Jessamine on her shoulders with the sword. "You may stand." The three of us rise.

"Many thanks, Ma'am." I said.

"Thanks! They're never going to believe this back home." Rose said grinning. Jessamine turned to me.

"If I'm the Baronetess of the TARDIS, that makes me the boss right?" She asked with a playful smirk which I rolled my eyes at, fondly.

"We'll talk about it." I told her then turn to the Queen. "Your Majesty, you said last night about receiving a message from the great beyond; I think your husband cut that diamond to save your life. He's protecting you even now Ma'am, even from beyond the grave."

"Indeed. Then you may think on this, also: that I am not amused." I groan whilst Rose looks jubilant.

"Yes!" She cheered, Jessamine just looked at us confused.

"Not remotely amused." The wipes the smirk off of Rose's face. "And henceforth . . . I banish you." We look at her, stunned.

"I'm sorry . . .?" I asked.

"I rewarded you, Sir Doctor. And now you are exiled from this empire, never to return. I don't know what you are, the two of you, or where you're from, but I know that you consort with stars - and magic - and think it fun. But your world is steeped in terror and blasphemy and death and I will not allow it! You will leave this shores and you will reflect, I hope, on how you managed to stray so far from all that is good. And how much longer you will survive this... terrible life." She steps away from us, angrily. "Now leave my world. And never return." We hurriedly left the house and hitched a lift on the back of a farmer's cart. It came to halt when we finally reached the TARDIS.

"Woah!" We jump off the back of the cart in the highlands near the TARDIS.

"Cheers, Dougal!" I wave as we walk away and the farmer drives off. "You know, the funny thing is, Queen Victoria did actually suffer a mutation of the blood! It's historical record hemophiliac. It used to be called the Royal Disease! But it's always been a mystery because she didn't inherit it. Her mum didn't have it her dad didn't have it - it came from nowhere!"

"What, and you're saying that's a wolf bite?" Jessamine asked.

"Well, maybe Hemophilia is just a Victorian euphemism." Jessamine gave me a raise eyebrow.

"For werewolf?" She asked, a bit skeptical.

"Could be!" I exclaimed which she rolled her eyes too.

"Queen Victoria's a werewolf?" Rose asked.

"Could be! And, her children had the Royal Disease. Maybe she gave them a quick nip." Jessamine let out a snort.

"So, the Royal Family are werewolves?" Rose asked, disbelievingly.

"Well . . . maybe not yet. I mean, a single wolf cell could take . . . a hundred years to mature . . . might be ready by . . . oooh . . . early 21st century . . .?" I calculated.

"Nah! That's just ridiculous! Mind you . . . Princess Anne . . .!" Rose started to muttered.

"I'll say no more." I said after Jessamine nudged me in the ribs.

"And if you think about it . . . they're very private. They plan everything in advance. They — they could schedule themselves around the moon — we'd never know!" I snigger as we reach the TARDIS and open the door. "They like hunting They love blood sports!" Jessamine and I laugh as we start the TARDIS up to dematerialize. "Oh my God, they're werewolves!" Rose and I let out a howl and cackle while Jessamine smile chuckles with a smile.

"I'm going to go rest for a bit. I'll see you two wolves later." She giggled when I let out another howl and walked to her room.

JTDW

Jessa pov

I sighed as I entered my room, I chuck off my heels and strip the dress off. I take the bandage of my now healed wound and toss it into the bin. I put on a tank top and shorts, plopping down on my bed. I stared up at the ceiling of my room.

"Werewolves . . ." I mumbled, twisting a strand of my hair. My mind flashed back to my third year, the year I met Remus Lupin, a dear friend of my fathers'. He had white scars covering most of his arms and a smile as warm as hot chocolate. I cracked a smile when a flash of bubblegum pink crossed my mind. Nymphadora Tonks, a quirky shapeshifter and witch with a sharp sense of humor. What I wouldn't give for a picture of them now. Just as I'm about to close my eyes, my mobile went off. I rolled over and answered it.

[Hello?]

[ _Jessa, it's Mickey._ ]

[What's up?] I asked.

[ _I need you guys to come back home. I think I found something._ ] He replied.

[Okay, I'll go talk to the Doctor then. We'll be there soon.] I told him.

[ _Thanks, Jessa._ ]

[See ya soon, Mickey.]

[ _Bye._ ] We hung up and I went to the control room.

"Doctor!" He turns around to me and his face goes firetruck red. "I have our heading." I gave him a teasing smile and wink.


	5. School Reunion

I raced out of Des and into Mickey's arms once we materialized back home.

"Mickey! Oh, I've missed you!" I squealed in his ear causing him to wince.

"I can hear that." He grumbled as he shook his head trying to get rid of the ringing sound. I let out a few giggles and pulled him into another hug.

"How are you? How's mum?" I asked him.

"I'm going great and your mum's fine." He gave me a reassuring look.

"So what's this case you've found?" I questioned while the Doctor and Rose finally came out of Des. Mickey gave them a wave then turn his attention back to me.

"It's this school." He pulls out a folder from his bag and hands it to me. I open it and read it's contents. I soon look up with a raised eyebrow at him.

"A school with a open art teacher job?" I crossed my arms while he gives me a sheepish smile.

"Well, yeah there's that too but there's something going on, Jessa." I smiled and shook my head at him.

"Well, I'm game. Let's figure out our story and plan." I turn to the Doctor, "We'll be husband and wife again?" The Doctor smiled and nodded as he walked over.

"We'll be the Smith's this time. John and Jessa Smith, two young teachers." He said and we began to plan everything out. Soon, we were on our way to the school to put our plan into play.

JTDW

Two weeks later

JTDW

"Good morning, everyone!" I smiled as I open the door to the class, letting the children in.

"Good morning, Mrs. Smith!" They replied in unison. I frown when I noticed there was two missing students. I walk into the room, closing the door behind me. I strolled over to my desk and began roll call, when I got to the two missing children I marked them as absent on the paper. I set the paper on my desk and picked up a stack of quizzes.

"I hope you all studied for the quiz today." There was a collection of groans and moans going through the room. "Now none of that, I promise it's not that hard." I told them with a smirk while I handed them out. "When your done, flip it over and I'll come pick it up. After everyone turns in there quiz, we'll watch a movie —" I was interrupted by the children cheering in excitement. I raised an eyebrow at them, "on abstract art." I let out a chuckle at the whines before telling them to quiet down and start their quiz. As the children took their quiz, I walked around the room to make sure they didn't cheat while thinking about the kids that were disappearing. I soon began to pick up finish quizzes from their desk and started the movie once I got the last one. While they watched the movie, I began to grade the quizzes. My eyes slowly started to widen in shock as each of the quizzes became A's. _'This was college level stuff!'_ I thought to myself. I'm jolted out of my state by the bell ringing for lunch. I quickly turn to the children.

"I want a two page easy on an abstract artist by next Monday!" I called after them then gathered my papers up and headed to the canteen. I look around to room and spotted the Doctor in the back. I walked over to him, sitting down beside him.

"Hello, Jessamine." He smiled at me then gestured to his tray. I crinkled my nose and shook my head.

"I'll wait till we get home, thank you." I put the quizzes on the table and began to show them to him. "This was stuff I learned in my fourth year of college, Doctor. These kids shouldn't know anything of this." He gave me a serious nod.

"How many kids this time?" He asked.

"Two from the last class." I told him with a frown. We both look up when Rose comes over with a dishcloth.

"Two weeks."

"Sorry, could you just — there's a bit of gravy." The Doctor points to it with his fork even though there was nothing there. Rose wipes the table. "No, no — just there." I nudge him in the ribs to make him stop teasing her.

"Two weeks, we've been here." Rose repeated.

"Blame Mickey, he's the one who put us into this. And he was right. Boy in class this morning — got a knowledge way beyond plant Earth." The Doctor told her.

"And my students passed a college level quiz today." I said while Rose eyed the Doctor's chips.

"You eating those chips?" She asked him.

"Yeah, they're a bit . . . different." Rose helps herself to one.

"I think they're gorgeous. Wish I had school dinners like this." She sits down across from us.

"It's very well behaved, this place." The Doctor said as he squints around the canteen.

"Hmmm." I hummed while I continued to grade papers.

"I thought there'd be happy-slapping hoodies. Happy-slapping hoodies with ASBOs. Happy-slapping hoodies with ASBOs and ringtones." I look up at him to find him staring at me, impressively. "Yeah? Yeah? Oh, yeah! Don't tell me I don't fit in." I let out a few giggles and shook my head at him.

"Whatever you say, Sweetie." I giggled a bit more at his pout and placed a kiss to his cheek just as a dinner lady approaches our table.

"You are not permitted to leave your station during a sitting." She told Rose.

"I was just talking to these teachers." She said, standing up.

"Hello!" The Doctor and I said in unison.

"They don't like the chips." Rose whispered to her.

"The menu had been specifically designed by the headmaster to improve concentration and performance. Now, get back to work." She told us, affronted then left. Rose walks away from the table.

"See? This is me." She gestures down at her uniform. "The dinner lady."

"We'll have the crumble!" The Doctor called after her.

"I'm so gonna kill you." She returns to her station while the Doctor was grinning manically. Mr. Wagner approaches Melissa, a few tables away from us.

"Melissa. You'll be joining my class for the next period. Milo's failed me . . . so it's time we moved you up to the top class." We watch them, absently. "Kenny? Not eating the chips?"

"I'm not allowed." Kenny replied.

"Luke — extra class. Now." He leaves with several of the children. I look up to find Mr. Finch watching me. I gave a light shudder and scoot closer to the Doctor, he wraps an arm around my waist when he noticed Finch staring at me. After lunch was over, the Doctor and I headed to the teacher lounge to spend our free period together. We sat on a desk, nibbling on some biscuits while Mr. Parsons began to pace up and down in front of us.

"But yesterday, I had a twelve-year-old girl give me the exact height of the Walls of Troy . . . in cubits." I took one of the Doctor's chocolate biscuits and licked it before he could take it back. I gave him a triumph smirk while he sent me a playful glare.

"And, it's ever since the new headmaster arrived?" The Doctor asked.

"Finch arrived three months ago. Next day, half the staff got flu. Finch replaced them with that lot." He nods over to where a group of smart looking teachers are standing. The Doctor and I look over our shoulders at them. "Except for the teacher you replaced, and that was just plain weird, her winning the lottery like that."

"How's that weird?" I questioned.

"She never played! Said the ticket was posted through her door at midnight." The Doctor popped another biscuit into his mouth.

"Hmm! The world is very strange." He said.

"Excuse me, colleagues — a moment of your time." The Doctor turns and freezes in shock, staring at the woman with Finch.

"Doctor?" I whispered in concern.

"May I introduce Miss Sarah Jane Smith. Miss Smith is a journalist, who's writing a profile about me for the Sunday Times." Sarah Jane smiles around at us all. I watch the corners of the Doctor's mouth begin to turn upwards in a smile. "I thought it might be useful for her to get 'a view from the trenches', so to speak. Don't spare my blushes." He stares at me for a moment then leaves. Sarah Jane approaches the Doctor and I.

"Hello!" I send her a polite smile which she returns.

"Oh, I should think so!" We both sent a confused look towards the Doctor.

"And, you are . . .?" She asked.

"Hm? Uh, Smith. John Smith and this is my wife, Jessa." He told her, not taking his eyes off her.

"John and Jessa Smith? I used to have two friends who sometimes went by those names." She said. I now turned my confused look towards her.

"Well, there very common names!" The Doctor exclaimed with slight joy.

"They were very uncommon people." She said in a reminiscing voice. My eyes widen in shock as I realized that she was once the Doctor's companion. She holds out her hand to us. "Nice yo meet you!" I shook hands with her first with a bright smile wanting to know everything about her and her Doctor.

"Nice to meet you! Yes! Very nice! More than nice — brilliant!" I let out a chuckle and turn to the Doctor.

"Your rambling, Sweetie." Sarah Jane let out a chuckle of her own when the Doctor shot us a sheepish look.

"Um. . . so, um, have you worked her long?" She asked us.

"No, we've only been here for two weeks." I told her. She turn to me with a bright smile.

"Oh, you're new then? So, what do you think of the school? I mean, this new curriculum?" I stare at her in interest. "So many children getting ill — doesn't that strike you as odd?" The Doctor and I grinned at her.

"You don't sound like someone just doing a profile." I said.

"Well, no harm in a little investigation while I'm here." She replied.

"No. Good for you." The Doctor said as she walks away to meet some of the other teachers. "Good for you. Oh, good for you, Sarah Jane Smith." He said with pride as the bell rings. I turn to the Doctor with excitement as he helps down from the desk.

"Tell me everything! Where did you meet? What did you look like?" I began to shoot off question after question as he walked me down to my class room. He chuckles while wrapping an arm around my waist and began the tale of Sarah Jane Smith. When we reached my room, I collected my coat and we left the school to meet up with Mickey and Rose. We waited till nightfall to reenter the school. The Doctor opens a fire door and we walk into a dark corridor.

"Oh, it's weird seeing school at night. It just feels wrong." I sent Rose a raised eyebrow as we cautiously make our way down the corridor. "When I was a kid, I used to think all the teachers slept in school."

"I don't see what's so weird about it." I told her. She rolls her eyes and turns to me. Lately, she's been a bit pissy at me.

"That's because you went to a school where the teachers actually did sleep in the school." I shrugged my shoulders.

"True." Was all that I said to her. The Doctor turned to us.

"All right, team. Oh, I hate people who say 'team'. Um . . . 'gang'. Um . . . 'comrades'. Uh. . . anyway, Rose, go to the kitchen and get a sample of that oil. Mickey, the new staff are all Maths teachers, go and check out the Maths department. Jessa and I will look in Finch's office. Be back here in ten minutes." We take off up the stairs. We head down another dark corridor, I let out a soft gasp when I hear bat like screeches and flaps in the distance. We pause for a moment and then stride to find the source of the noise.

"Why do I always find myself in horror movie moments with you?" I whispered to him and only earned a smirk in response. We caught sight of Sarah Jane staring at the room where we placed Des in. She turns slowly and finds us standing behind her.

"Hello, Sarah Jane." The Doctor said, quietly.

"It's you. Oh . . . Doctor. . ." A smile starts to spread across her face as she edges towards us. "Oh, my God, it's you, it's . . . it's . . . you've regenerated."

"Half a dozen times since we last met." He told her while taking my hand in his for support. Sarah Jane watches the action with a bright smile.

"And Sorceress is with you as well again!" I shot her and the Doctor a confused look.

"Ummm . . . I'm not a Time Lady." Sarah Jane looked at me startled, sending the Doctor a quick glance. "I'm Jessa Tyler." Her expression crumbles into a look of sorrow for a moment.

"Oh . . . It's nice to meet you." She said. I sent her a smile.

"It's nice to meet someone else who knows the Doctor. I bet you have a lot of funny stories about him." She let's out a chuckle and nods her head.

"Most definitely." We both giggled at the Doctor's pout. "What're you doing here?"

"Well . . . UFO sightings, school gets record results — we couldn't resist. What about you?" The Doctor asked her.

"Same." We laugh for a moment, but I watch Sarah Jane's smile falter and she look close to tears. "I thought you'd died. I waited for you and you didn't come back, and I thought you must've died." I glance between the Doctor and Sarah Jane.

"I lived. Everyone else died." He told her in a soft voice full of pain.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Everyone died, Sarah." He repeated with quiet pain. She shakes her head.

"I can't believe it's you." she whispered in disbelief. The moment was broken by the sound of Mickey wailing. "Okay! Now I can!" We all grin and run from the gym to find the source of the scream. We almost skidded into Rose, who was running from a converging corridor.

"Did you hear that?" She asked then notices Sarah Jane with a light glare. "Who's she?"

"Rose, Sarah Jane! Sarah Jane, Rose." Rose looks unpleasantly surprised and shake hands with her.

"Hi. Nice to meet you." Sarah Jane said with a very fake smile. I shot a look to the Doctor, who returned it. "You can tell you're getting older — your assistants are getting younger." My eyes widen in shock while covering my mouth with my hand.

"I'm not his assistant." She shouted, outraged. The Doctor scratches his ear uncomfortably.

"No?" Sarah Jane smirked. The Doctor grabbed my hand, dragging me after him as we speed off with the others following. We find Mickey in one of the math class rooms, surrounded by a load of vacuum-packed rats. I gave them death glares even though they're already dead, I simply just hate rats.

"Sorry! Sorry, it was only me. You told me to investigate, so I — I started looking through some of these cupboards and all of these fell out of them." The Doctor bends down and picks a few up to examine them.

"Oh, my God, they're rats. Dozens of rats. Vacuum packed rats." Rose stated the obvious. I rolled my eyes at her. The Doctor turn to Mickey.

"And you decided to scream." He teased him.

"It took me by surprise!" Mickey exclaimed.

"Like a little girl?" I rolled my eyes again and step in-between them.

"That's enough, Doctor." I told him and turned to Mickey. "Are you all right?" I asked him, concern placing a hand on his arm.

"I'm fine, Jessa." He said with smile.

"Nine, maybe ten years old. I'm seeing pigtails, frilly skirt." The Doctor said with spite. I spun around to him, hands on my hips.

"Doctor, enough!" I hissed out at him. His eyes narrowed and he looked away, crossing his arms.

"Hello, can we focus? Does anyone notice anything strange about this? Rats in school?" Rose asked.

"Well, obviously they use them in Biology lessons. They dissect them. Or maybe you haven't reached that bit yet. How old are you?" Mickey and I look shiftily between Rose and Sarah Jane.

"Excuse me, no one dissects rats in school anymore. They haven't done that for years. Where are you from, the dark ages?" Rose snarked.

"Anyway, moving on." The Doctor said, quickly. Sarah Jane and Rose give each other the dirtiest of looks. "Everything started when Mr Finch arrived. We should go and check his office." He chucks the rat he's holding back to Mickey, who drops it. We follow the Doctor out and down the corridor.

"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but who exactly are you?" Rose asked Sarah Jane.

"Sarah Jane Smith. I used to travel with the Doctor." She said with pride.

"Oh! Well, he's never mentioned you." Rose sneered. I let out a sigh at Rose's possessiveness.

"Oh, I must've done! Sarah Jane! Mention her all the time." The Doctor said.

"Hold on . . ." Rose pretended to think about it. "sorry . . . never." Sarah Jane turned to me causing me to freeze with the deer-in-the-headlight look.

"What, not even once? He didn't mention me once?" Sarah Jane asked me, annoyed. I just open and closed my mouth not being able to find anything to say. Rose walks off and Sarah Jane follows her, probably to probe her further.

"Ho ho! Mate! The missus and the ex. Welcome to every man's worst nightmare." I sent Mickey a stoney glare causing him to flinch. I let out a huff and stormed off down the corridor, the boys scrambling after me. The Doctor uses the sonic screwdriver to unlock the door of Mr Finch's office.

"Maybe those rats were food." The Doctor said.

"Food for what?" I asked. The Doctor opens the door and peers inside. There was some incredibly strange noises coming from there.

"Rose . . . you know you used to think all the teachers slept in the school . . .? Well . . . they do." We looked into the room and stared at the bat-like creatures hanging upside down from the ceiling.

"No way!" Mickey shouted and ran out of the room. We quickly follow after him, running out of the school. "I am not going back in there. No way." Mickey said, out of breath from running.

"Those were teachers!" Rose exclaimed.

"When Finch arrived, he brought with him seven new teachers, four dinner ladies and a nurse. Thirteen. Thirteen big bat people. Come on." The Doctor begins to walk back inside.

"Come on — you've got to be kidding!" Mickey exclaimed.

"I need the TARDIS. I've got to analyze that oil from the kitchen." He said.

"I might be able to help you, there. I've got something to show you!" Sarah Jane grabs the Doctor's and mine arms, pulling us excitedly in the direction of the car park. Sarah Jane opens the boot of her car. Inside is something covered with a green blanket. The Doctor pulls the blanket off to reveal a metal dog thing.

"K9! Jessa Tyler, Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith — allow me to introduce K9 — well, K9 Mark III to be precise." The three of us glanced at each other with an 'it's a tin dog' sort of expression.

"Why does he look so . . . disco?" Rose asked.

"Oi! Listen, in the year five thousand, this was cutting edge! What's happened to him?" The Doctor asked Sarah Jane.

"Oh, one day, he just . . . nothing!" She told him.

"Well, didn't you try and get him repaired?" We stared at them, not really getting it.

"Well, it's not like getting parts for a mini-metro! Beside, the technology inside him could rewrite human science. I couldn't show him to anyone!" She exclaimed.

"Ooh, what's the nasty lady done to you? Eh?" He cooed at the tin can dog. The Doctor strokes K9 making coo-ing noises. Sarah Jane throws Rose what could be described as a triumphant glance.

"Look, no offense but could you two just stop petting for a minute? Never mind the tin dog, we're busy!" The Doctor closes the boot, grinning. We climbed into Sarah Jane's car and she drove us to a chip shop. I left the Doctor and Sarah Jane alone to spend some time together. I sat down at the table that Mickey and Rose were at. Rose was munching on her chips while glaring at Sarah Jane.

"Would you stop glaring at her." I told her, only for her to turn her glare on me. "You're acting like he's cheating on you, Rose."

"She has no right to come here and act like he'll want her again." She snarked. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Well, neither do you. Your his companion, Rose. Nothing else." Her eyes narrowed, dangerously.

"You think you're so special." She started, I gave her a glare watching as she stood up. "Oh, look at me. I'm Jessa Potter and I can cast magic spells with a wooden stick." I jumped out of my chair, causing it to fall backwards with a loud crash. "I'm so amazing and I can't die! I get to stay young and beaut —" I slapped her before she could finished. I pointed a finger at her, taking a deep breath.

"I've let you walk all over me since you were old enough. I let you have the guys that've shown me any interest but this is were I put my foot down, Rose." I stepped into her personal space.

"The Doctor and I will never age but you will. You could spend the rest of your life with us but we can't spend the rest of our life with you. So sue me for falling in love with him. I've finally found someone who can be with me forever and I'm not going to let you get in the way." I finished and walked out of the shop, not glancing at anyone. I lean against Sarah Jane's car while the others stayed in the shop. When they came out, Mickey and Sarah Jane hoist K9 into the boot of the car. The Doctor took my arm and dragged me away from the others.

"Are you all right?" He asked me. I cast a glance to Rose then back to him.

"Fine." I whispered. He gave me a look stating how much he didn't believe me. I sighed and bit my lip. "She's not the first one you've left behind and not talked about, is she?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"No, she isn't." He told me. I stared at him for a moment.

"Are you going to do that to Rose? Just take her on these amazing adventures and then drop her off somewhere? Leaving her to wonder where you are and how to cope with normal life again?" He just stared at me. "Are you going to do that to me too, later down the line? Once you get bored of me, are you going to drop me off somewhere years from now?" He stares at me now, looking angry and hurt.

"No. Not to you. I would never do that to you." He told me. "I promise you forever, Jessamine." He framed my face with his hands.

"I just don't know if I'll be able to survive if I were to lose someone I —" I stop when I realize what I was going to say.

"What, Jessamine?" I stare at him intensely.

"Someone I love." I whispered, looking over his shoulder at Sarah Jane. "But that's curse of being the Mistress of Death." I let out a sad chuckle.

"And of the Time Lords." He replied in a soft voice.

"Time Lord." The Doctor and I looked up and found Finch and a bat thing on a roof. The thing screeches and swoops down towards us. We duck, but it flies away.

"Was that a Krillitane?" Sarah Jane asked. I turned to her.

"A what?" I questioned. She explained everything I missed while I was outside.

"But it didn't even touch her, it just flew off! What did it do that for?" Rose asked.

JTDW

The next morning, we drive to the school and get out of Sarah Jane's car, striding towards the school. The Doctor pauses for a moment to give instructions to us.

"Rose and Sarah, you go to the Maths room. Crack open those computers, I need to see the hardware inside. Here, you might need this." Rose holds her hand out, but he hands his sonic screwdriver to Sarah Jane. Rose looked peeved. "Mickey — surveillance. I want you outside."

"Just stand outside?" He questioned, confused.

"Here, take these — you can keep K9 company." Sarah Jane chucks her car keys to him.

"Don't forget to leave the window open a crack." The Doctor called to Mickey.

"But he's metal!" Mickey called back.

"I didn't mean for him." I let out an exasperated sigh at the Doctor's behavior.

"What're you two gonna do?" Rose asked.

"It's time we had a word with Mr Finch." We walk inside the school and split up. The Doctor and I walked to the swimming pool room, where apparently Mr Finch was waiting for us. "Who are you?"

"My name is Brother Lassa. And you?" Finch asked.

"The Doctor and the Mistress of Death. Since when did Krillitanes have wings?" He asked.

"It's been our form for nearly ten generations, now. Our ancestors invaded Bessan. The people there had some rather lovely wings. They made a million windows in one day, just imagine." Finch replied.

"And now you're shaped human?" I asked.

"A personal favorite, that's all." He said.

"And the others?" The Doctor asked.

"My brother remain bat form. What you see is a simple morphic illusion. Scratch the surface and the true Krilliatane lies beneath." We began to walk slowly towards the same side of the pool. "And what of the Time Lords? I always thought of you as such a pompous race. Ancient, dusty senators, so frightened of change and . . . chaos. And of course — they're all but extinct. Only you two. The last." I shot him a confused look. _'Why do they keep thinking I'm a Time Lady?'_

"This plan of your — what is it?" The Doctor questioned.

"You don't know." Finch said with a smirk.

"That's why I'm asking." They were facing each other now rivals. I could feel the tension rising between them.

"Well, show me how clever you are. Work it out." Finch taunted the Doctor.

"If I don't like it . . . then it will stop." The Doctor told him.

"Fascinating. Your people were peaceful to the point of indolence. You seem to be something new. Would you declare war on us, Doctor?" Finch asked.

"I'm so old, now. I used to have so much mercy." The Doctor said quietly. I shot him a concern and comfort glance. "You get one warning. That was it." He grabs my hand as he turns his back on Finch and we begin to walk away.

"But we're not even enemies. Soon . . . you will embrace us." I glanced over my shoulder looking back at Finch when the Doctor stopped walking. "The next time we meet, you will join with me. I promise you." Mr Finch walks past us with a knowing smile and leaves the pool. The Doctor watches him go suspiciously. We leave the pool room and quickly walk to Rose and Sarah Jane. As we walked into the room, I furrowed by brow when I saw Rose and Sarah Jane laughing.

"How's it going?" The Doctor asked. They looked over and began to laugh harder. "What? Listen, I need to find out what's programmed inside these." He said, oblivious. They take no notice of him and fall about laughing hysterically, Rose pointing the sonic screwdriver at him. I let out a few giggles myself. The Doctor turns to me then the girls.

"What? Stop it!" He exclaimed, genuinely confused. We all look up as a school announcement goes through the speakers.

"Rose, keep the children away from this room." She nods and runs outside to shoo the children away. I let out a sharp gasp as the teachers name appear on my list.

"Jessamine?" The Doctor placed his hand on my shoulder. I turn to him with a look of horror as I realized what happen to the missing children.

"The missing children." I said. The Doctor gave me a confused look. "Those things ate those children and they just ate the teachers. Oh God." I let out a soft sob for those innocent people. The Doctor brought me into his arms, placing a kiss to my forehead. He released me a few moments later and took the sonic screwdriver from Sarah Jane. He goes to the wires and pulls them over his neck as he runs the sonic screwdriver along the back of the computer.

"I can't shift it." He said.

"I thought the sonic screwdriver could open anything!" Sarah Jane exclaimed.

"Anything except a deadlock seal."

"Or wood." I butt in, the Doctor sent me an unimpressed look. I shrugged my shoulders with a impish grin.

"There's gotta be something inside here. What're they teaching those kids?" He questioned.

"You wanted the program — there it is." Sarah Jane said as every computer in the room began to display some code, including the large screen at the front of the room.

"Some sort of code . . ." The Doctor trailed off as we stare at it. "No . . . no, they can't be . . ." I turn to the Doctor, who was still staring at the code, eyes wide and mouth slightly open.

"Doctor, what is it?" I asked him.

"The Skasis Paradigm. They're trying to crack the Skasis Paradigm." He said.

"The Skasis what?" I questioned, confused.

"The . . . God-maker. The universal theory. Crack that equation and you've got control of the building blocks of the universe. Time and space and matter, yours to control." My eyes widen slightly.

"What, and the Kids are like a giant computer?" Rose asked.

"Yes." The Doctor starts to pace around, working it out. "And their learning power is being accelerated by the oil! That oil from the kitchens, it works as a — as a . . . conducting agent. Makes the kids cleverer."

"But that oil's on the chips. I've been eating them." I turn to Rose.

"What's fifty-nine times thirty-five?" I asked her.

"Two thousand and sixty five." I give her a 'that says it all' look. "Oh my God . . ."

"But why use children? Can't they use adults?" Sarah Jane asked.

"No, it's gotta be children. The God-maker needs imagination to crack it. They're not just using the children's brains to break the code . . . they're using their souls." Behind the Doctor, Finch walks into the room.

"Let the lesson begin." The Doctor turns to face him. "Think of it, Doctor — with the Paradigm solved, reality becomes clay in our hands. We can shape the universe and improve it."

"Oh yeah? The whole of creation with the face of Mr Finch. Call me old fashioned, but I like things as they are." The Doctor told him.

"You act like such a radical, and yet all you want to do is preserve the old order. Think of the changes that could be made if this power was used for good." Finch said.

"What, by someone like you?" I asked him, skeptically.

"No . . . someone like you." I went silent, along with the Doctor. That was not the answer I was expecting. " The Paradigm gives us power, but you could give us wisdom. Become a God. At my side. Imagine what you could do - think of the civilizations you could save. Perganon, Assinta... your own people, Doctor. Standing tall. The Time Lords... reborn." We say nothing, staring into Finch's eyes.

"Doctor, Jessa, don't listen to him." Finch turns to me.

"They could be with you throughout eternity. Young . . . fresh . . . never wither, never age . . . never die. Their lives are so fleeting. So many goodbyes. How lonely you must be, Jessa." I flinch at that part, turning to look at Rose and Sarah Jane. "Join us." I looked at them with a faraway look in my eyes. I felt so terribly tempted.

"I could save them . . ." I whispered turning back to Finch.

"Yes." His voice was soft.

"I could stop the war . . ." I heard the Doctor whisper. A small smile graces Finch's lips.

"No. The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss — they define us as much as happiness or love." I turn back to Sarah Jane with shining eyes. Her voice was so desperate as she stared at me with tear-filled eyes. "Wether it's a world, or a relationship . . . everything has its time. And everything ends." I turn back to Finch, I was about to take a step towards him when the sound of glass breaking startled me out of my dazed.

"Out!" The Doctor shouted as he grabbed me by the arm. We race down the hallway and down a set of stairs, meeting Mickey and a kid at the bottom.

"What is going on?" He asked as three krillitanes half fly, half grope their way along the corridor to us. We turn on our heels and run in the opposite direction. We run into the canteen and try the doors on the other side, but they're locked. The Doctor reaches inside his coat just as Finch bursts through the doors followed by several of the Krillitanes.

"Are they my teachers?" The kid asked us.

"Yeah. Sorry." The Doctor told him.

"Leave the Doctor and Jessa alive. As for the others . . . you can feast." The Krillitanes swoop down on us. The Doctor tries to beat them off with a chair while the others scream and try to duck out of the way. I pull out my wand and pointed it at one of the Krillitanes. It falls to the floor dead with another one that was hit with a red light. Finch lets out a roar of rage.

"K9!" Sarah Jane cheered.

"Suggest you engage running mode, mistress." it said.

"Come on!" We run while K9 stayed back with the Krillitanes. "K9, hold them back!"

"Affirmative, master. Maximum defense mode!" The Doctor reaches a door and ushers us through it.

"Come on!" He slams it shut behind us and locks it with his sonic screwdriver. "It's the oil. Krillitan life forms can't handle the oil! That's it! They've changed their physiology so often, even their own oil is toxic to them. How much was there in the kitchens?"

"Barrels of it." We jump as the krillitanes start to pound on the locked door, their claws ripping holes in it.

"Okay, we need to get to the kitchens. Mickey —"

"What now, hold the coats?" He sniped. The Doctor gave him a slight glare.

"Get all the children unplugged and out of the school." I turn to the Doctor.

"I'll go with him to help." I told him. The Doctor stared at me for a moment before nodding his head. I look over to Mickey and tilted my head down the corridor. "Come on, Mick." We ran down the corridor to the classrooms. We burt into one of the lab rooms.

"Okay, listen everyone — we've gotta get out of here." No one takes notice of us. The children are all hooked up to the computers. Mickey and I share a bewildered look. Mickey goes to the head computer trying to stop the code, while I look around the room to find away to stop the machines. I stared at the protective casing on the walls.

"Mickey, look." I pointed at the covering on the walls that lead to one plug. Mickey walks over to it and we share a look and shrug. He pulls it out and all of the computers go dead with the socket exploding with sparks. "Everyone get out, now!" I shouted. The trance broken, the children immediately get to their feet and move towards the door.

"Come on, move! Let's go, let's go!" Mickey shouts as he holds the door open. Once that class was empty we repeated the process over a few more times and race out of the school. Suddenly, the school explodes. The children all burst into cheers and applause. Rose joins us and I wrap her up into a tight hug with Mickey joining in. I look up and found the Doctor and Sarah Jane behind us. I watch with sad eyes as Sarah Jane burst into tears. The Doctor puts his arm around her comfortingly. We return to the TARDIS when all the children return to their families.

"You've redecorated!" I turn with a bright smile on my face.

"Sarah Jane!" I exclaimed and ran over to the woman, gathering her up into a hug. She chuckled and return the embrace.

"Do you like it?" The Doctor asked.

"Oh, I, I do. Yeah. I preferred it as it was, but uh . . . yeah. It'll do!" I let out a chuckle at her answer.

"I love it." We turn to Rose, who was grinning as well.

"Hey, you — what's forty seven times three hundred and sixty nine?" Sarah Jane asked her.

"No idea. It's gone now — the oil's faded." She said.

"But you're still clever." Rose smiles. I nudge the Doctor in the ribs, prompting him.

"Doctor . . ." He looks up.

"Um — we're about to head off, but . . . you could come with us." I look at her, smiling expectantly. She looks from my happy face to the Doctor's. But shakes her head.

"No . . . I can't do this anymore." Our smiles fade slightly. "Beside, I've got a much bigger adventure ahead! Time I stopped waiting for you and found a life of my own."

"Can I come?" Sarah Jane and I look at Mickey, surprised. "No, not with you, I mean . . . with you." He gestures to the Doctor. "Cause I'm not the tin dog. And I wanna see what's out there." I turn to the Doctor with a bright smile and nodded my head, turning back to Mickey.

"Oh, go on, Doctor. Sarah Jane Smith - a Mickey Smith. You need a Smith on board!" Sarah Jane chuckled at my reactions. I glance back at the Doctor and he gives me a smile and nod. I let out a squeal of excitement and hug Mickey.

"You're going to love it!" I told him as he lets out a happy chuckle. "I'm so happy you've changed your mind, Mickey! We're going to have so much fun together." I grab his arm and pull him upstairs. "Come on! I'll show you around."

JTDW

Doctor pov

I watch Jessamine drag Mickey off with a grin and turn to Sarah Jane. I hold the door open for her and we step out of the TARDIS.

"It's daft. But I haven't ever thanked you for that time, and like I said — I wouldn't have missed it for the world." She told me.

"Something to tell the grandkids." I said.

"Oh, I think it'll be someone else's grandkids now." I looked at her, distinctly awkward.

"Right. Yes, sorry — I didn't get a chance to ask. You haven't . . . there hasn't been anyone . . .? You know . . .?" I asked.

"Well . . . there was this one guy. I travelled with him for a while. But he was a tough act to follow." She laughs slightly and I smile softly. She stares at me for a moment. "Who is Jessa, really?" My smile fades. "She looks just like the Sorceress, Doctor."

"She's just Jessa Tyler." I told her, "The immortal girl that cares about me." I said softly with a warm grin. Sarah Jane returned the look.

"She certainly does, doesn't she?" She looks back at the TARDIS. "You're good for each other but," She turns back to me. "whatever your hiding from her, Doctor, you need to tell her." I open my mouth but shut it when Sarah Jane raised a hand. "I know when you're lying and she's more then what she seems to be." I sigh and shake my head with a fondness.

"Never could fool you." I said.

"Goodbye, Doctor."

"Oh, it's not goodbye —"

"Say it, please. This time. Say it." I look straight into her eyes.

"Goodbye. My Sarah Jane." I throw my arms around her and lift her right off the ground in a final embrace. I give her one last smile before heading back to the TARDIS.

"Oh, and Doctor." I pause in the doorway, turning to look back at Sarah Jane. "Tell the girl how you feel for god sake." I laugh and nod my head, shutting the door.


	6. The Girl in the Fireplace

I continued to show Mickey around Des with a pouting and whining Rose behind us.

“Why didn't you give me a tour of the TARDIS on my first trip?” She whined. I simply ignored her, still a bit angry at her for what she said back at the little shop. Suddenly, Des came to a sudden stop. We looked to one another then raced to the control room. The Doctor waves to us then walks out the doors, closely followed by Rose and Mickey. I hesitated in the doorway for a few moments getting a weird feeling before joining the other three. We proceed to look around the dark disused room.

“It’s a spaceship! Brilliant, I got a spaceship on my first go!” Mickey exclaimed, excitedly.

“Looks kind of abandoned . . . Anyone on board?” Rose asked, surprised.

“Nah, nothing here. Well! Nothing dangerous. Well! Not that dangerous.” The Doctor looked to me and paused. I raised an eyebrow at him and crossed my arms. “You know what, I’ll just have a quick scan . . . in case there’s anything dangerous.” I smirk as he walks over to a control panel in the centre of the room and starts tapping at some buttons.

“What’s the year, my good Doctor?” I asked as I walked around the room.

“About three thousand years into your further, give or take.” He pulls on a switch and the lights turn on, the roof gradually opening into a window which shows a spectacular view of the stars outside. “Fifty-first century. Diagmar Cluster, you’re a long way from home, Mickey! Two and a half galaxies!”

Mickey moved to a porthole, gazing out in awe along with Rose. I move over to the Doctor as he rummages around the control panel, picking up bits and pieces of presumably broken technology and looking unimpressed.

“Doctor?” He turns to me.

“Yes, Jessamine?” I blush lightly at the soft smile he gave me.

“Is this the century Jack lived in?” I asked him. The Doctor just stared at me for a moment before nodding. I look out the porthole closest to us. “Do you think. . .” I trailed off and shook my head.

“Do I think what?” He asked. I turn back to him and give him a small smile.

“It’s nothing, Doctor.” I said. He stared at for a bit then turned back to the controls.

“Dear me, had some cowboys in here! Got a ton of repair work going on.” He chucks the pieces down casually, noticing a screen with a diagram of the spaceship on it. Rose and Mickey walk back over to us and looked. “Now that’s odd, look at that. All the warp engines are going . . . full capacity! There’s enough power running through this ship to punch a hole in the universe . . . and we’re not moving. So where’s all that power going?” The Doctor asked with growing surprise and curiosity.

“Where’s the crew?” I asked him. The Doctor leaned forward and tweaked some knobs on the control panel.

“Good question, no life readings on board.” He said.

“Well, we’re in deep space; they didn't just nip out for a quick fag.” Rose sassed.

“Nope, checked all the smoking pods.” He replied taking her seriously. I covered my smile with a hand and shook my head fondly at him. There was a pause as we gaze around and the Doctor sniffs suddenly. “Can you smell that?” The three of us sniffed, I wrinkled my nose at the strong smell.

“Yeah, someone’s cooking.” Rose said.

“Sunday roast, definitely!” The Doctor pressed something else and a door opens behind us. We walked through and see part of a wall and floor with 18th decor.

“Well, there’s something you don’t see in your average spaceship. Eighteenth century! French! Nice mantel.” He pulls out the sonic screwdriver and points it at the fireplace. “Not a hologram.” I bend down to look inside the fireplace as he examines it closely. “Not even a reproduction, this actually is an eighteenth century French fireplace. Double-sided, there’s another room through there.” There was a young girl staring back at me.

“Doctor.” I whispered. He crouches down.

“Hello!” He exclaimed causing me to smile.

“Hello . . .” She replied back, hesitantly.

“What’s your name?” I asked her.

“Reinette.” The Doctor smiles to her.

“Reinette, that’s a lovely name. Can you tell me where you are at the moment, Reinette?” He asked, encouragingly.

“In my bedroom.” She said slightly suspiciously.

“And where’s your bedroom? Where do you live, Reinette?” I questioned this time.

“Paris, of course!” I let out a chuckle.

“Paris, right!” The Doctor chuckled as well.

“Monsieur, madame, what are you doing in my fireplace?” Reinette asked.

“Oh, it’s just a routine . . . fire check. Can you tell me what year it is?” I raised an eyebrow at the Doctor’s obvious lie.

“Of course I can! Seventeen hundred and twenty seven.” She told him.

“Right, lovely! One of my favorites . . . August is rubbish though. Stay indoors. Okay, that’s all for now. Thanks for your help. Hope you enjoy the rest of the fire. Night night!” Reinette nods to us.

“Goodnight Monsieur and Madame.” The Doctor stands and holds a hand out to me. He helps me up while looking thoughtful. Mickey and Rose joins us by the fireplace.

“You said this was the Fifty-first century.” Mickey said.

“I also said this ship was generating enough power to punch a hole in the universe. I think we just found the hole. Must be a spatio-temporal hyperlink.” The Doctor returned and I rolled my eyes.

“What’s that?” Mickey asked, confused.

“He has no idea. He made it up cos’ he didn't want to say ‘magic door’.” I told Mickey with a smile.

“And on the other side of the ‘magic door’ is France in 1727?” Rose asked. The Doctor nods and looks back at the fireplace before walking across the room, taking his coat off and throwing it in the corner.

“Well, she was speaking French. Right period French, too.” The Doctor said.

“She was speaking English, I heard Her!” Rose drapes her arms around Mickey’s neck as the Doctor strides back over to me and the fireplace.

“That’s the TARDIS - translates for ya.” She told him.

“Even French?!” He exclaimed. I watched the Doctor as he kneels at the side of the fireplace searching around until he found some. The section of wall begins to rotate, just like in a horror movie, taking the Doctor and I with it.

“Gotcha!” The Doctor cheered while I gave him a glare while holding onto the fireplace. Once the fireplace stopped turning, I punched him in the shoulder. “Ow!” He pouted. I rolled my eyes and looked around at the dark and shadowy bedroom. A loud ticking sounded through the room while the Doctor wanders towards the window. I follow after him and from the window I could see Paris skyline. We both turn around when we heard noise coming from behind us. We found Reinette staring at us from her bed.

“It’s okay! Don’t scream! It’s us, it’s the fireplace man and woman. Look.” He walks over and lights a candle by her bed with the sonic screwdriver. She still looks startled. “We were talking, just a moment ago. We were in your fireplace.”

“Monsieur, that was weeks ago. That was months!” Reinette exclaimed.

“Really?Oh.” The Doctor and I looked at each other surprised. We walk back to the fireplace and the Doctor knocks on it, listening to the sound produced. “Must be a loose connection. Need to get a man in.”

“Who are you? And what are you doing here?” The Doctor doesn't reply, instead he’s staring at the clock on the mantel with his mouth open, looking slightly fearful.

“Okay, that’s scary. . .” I heard him muttered.

“What is it?” I asked him.

“You’re scared of a broken clock?” Reinette asked, skeptically.

“Just a bit scared, yeah. Just a little tiny bit. ‘Cause you see, if this clock’s broken, and it’s the only clock in the room . . .” The Doctor pauses, turning to look back at Reinette. “Then what’s that?” The ticking sound grows louder and Reinette looks around, clearly scared again. I also look around for the source of the sound staying close to the fireplace. The Doctor barely moves, speaking slowly and quietly.

“Cause you see that’s not a clock. You can tell by the resonance. Too big. Six feet, I’d say. Size of a man.” He said.

“What is it?” Reinette asked. The Doctor checks behind the curtains, finding nothing. He’s starts to speak more quickly, spilling out his thought processes.

“Now, let’s think. If you were a thing that ticks and you were hiding in someone’s bedroom, first thing you do: break the clock. No one notices the sound of one clock ticking, but two?” He pauses. “You might start to wonder if you’re really alone.” He moves towards the bed and crouches down.

“Stay on the bed. Right in the middle. Don’t put your hands or feet over the edge.” He gave Reinettes instructions as he pulled out the sonic screwdriver. “Jessa, stay by the fireplace.” He peers underneath the bed before turning on the sonic screwdriver to scan. Suddenly something smacks the Doctor backwards, knocking the screwdriver out of his hand.

“Doctor!” I gasped as he scrambles back to look underneath. “Doctor. . .” I said slowly while staring at the ticking creepy clown thing.

“Reinette. . .” He whispered, “Don’t look round.” The thing was leering down at Reinette. “You stay exactly where you are.” The Doctor stands up to look straight at the figure. He glances back at Reinette, then at the figure, and back to Reinette, discomforted by something. “Hold still, let me look. . .” He bends down and grasped Reinette’s head between his hands.

“Doctor, what is it?” I asked.

“They’ve been scanning her brain!” He told me, shocked. He pauses. “What, you’ve crossed two galaxies and thousands of years just to scan a child’s brain? What could there be in a little girl’s mind worth blowing a hole in the universe?” He asked horrified and incredulous.

“I don’t understand. . . it wants me?!” Reinette looks round at the figure, but doesn't even flinch. “You want me?” The figure’s head twitches to one side and it speaks in a distinctly mechanical voice.

“Not yet. You are incomplete.”

“Incomplete? What’s that mean, ‘incomplete’?” The droid doesn't answer, but continues staring at Reinette. The Doctor stands up and speaks in a firm but slightly irritated voice, producing the sonic screwdriver and pointing it threateningly at the droid. “You can answer her, you can answer me. What do you mean, ‘incomplete’?” The droid again doesn't answer, instead walking in jerky movements around the bed and facing the Doctor and I. The droid extends an arm and a menacing looking blade slides out near the Doctor’s face. I let out a soft gasp as he tilts his head away.

“Monsieur, be careful!” Reinette cried.

“Just a nightmare, Reinette, don’t worry about it. Everyone has nightmares.” The Doctor backs away, the droid pursuing. It swipes at the Doctor who jumps back, reaching me and the fireplace. “Even monsters from under the bed have nightmares, don’t you, monster?” The droid slashes at the Doctor again. Both the Doctor and I jumped aside and the droid’s blade hits the mantel, getting stuck.

“What do monsters have nightmares about?” Reinette questioned. As the droid struggles, the Doctor takes the opportunity to turn the fireplace around.

“Us, ha!” Reinette smiles as the droid, the Doctor, and I disappear from her view.

“Doctor! Jessa!” Rose shouts as the fireplace finished turning us around the Doctor runs and grabs a gun-like object from the wall, using it to spray ice at the droid. I moved over to Mickey and Rose as we watched it convulse in a last, vain attempt to free itself before freezing completely.

“Excellent, ice gun!” Mickey said, appreciatively. The Doctor calmly throws the ‘gun’ to me. I catch it then hand it over to Rose.

“Fire extinguisher.” The Doctor said.

“Where did that thing come from?” Rose asked while she looked at the droid.

“From here.” I replied.

“So why is it dressed like that?”Mickey asked next.

“Field trip to France, some kind of basic camouflage protocol - nice needlework! Shame about the face.” The Doctor walked back over to the droid, squinting at it. He pulls off the wig to reveal its actual head - an ornate clockwork mechanism, covered with a clear plastic egg shape. “Oh, you are beautiful!” The Doctor said with near giddy excitement. Mickey and Rose edge closer in curiosity while I move closer to the Doctor as he puts his glasses to examine it more closely.

“No really, you are, you’re gorgeous! Look at that! Space age clockwork, I love it! I’ve got chills! Listen, seriously, I mean this from the heart - and, by the way, count those - it would be a crime, it would be an act of vandalism to disassemble you.” He takes one last wistful look at the droid before holding up the sonic screwdriver. “But that won’t stop me.” The droid creaks back into life and teleports away. The Doctor stuffs the screwdriver back into his pocket and grabbed my hand, walking us swiftly back to the fireplace. “Short range teleport, can’t have got far. Could still be on board —”

“What is it?” I questioned him. He turned to Mickey and Rose.

“Don’t go looking for it!” He points to them.

“Where’re you two going?” Rose asked.

“Back in a sec” The Doctor told her. He turns the fireplace and we return to Reinette’s side. I look around the plush red and gold bedroom while the Doctor walks away from the fireplace. “Reinette . . . Just checking you’re okay. . .” He idly brushes a hand across the strings of a harp when a beautiful young woman walks into the room. She pauses and stares at us. I cleared my throat to get the Doctor’s attention. He turns to me and I nod towards the girl. He spun back around to face her.

“Oh! Hello!” He quickly puts away his glasses. “I was just looking for Reinette. This is still her room, isn't it? I’ve been away not sure how long.”

“Reinette! We’re ready to go!” An older woman called from outside the room.

“Go to the carriage, mother, I will join you there.” I let out a chuckle at the grin Reinette gave at the Doctor’s shocked expression. “It is customary, I think, to have imaginary friends only during one’s childhood. You two are to be congratulated on your persistence.” The Doctor continues to stare at her in shock so I take a few steps towards her.

“Hello, Reinette.” Reinette smiles at me and I return it. “You’ve grown so much seen we last saw each other.”

“And you do not appear to have aged a single day. That is tremendously impolite of you.” She said approaching us. I let out a few chuckles.

“Right . . . yes . . . sorry. Um. . . umm. . . umm. . listen, lovely to catch up, but er, better be off, eh? Don’t want your mother finding you up here with a strange man and woman, do we?” The Doctor stuttered out while walking backwards to the fireplace.

“Strange? How could you be a stranger to me? I have known you since I was seven years old.” Reinette told him.

“Yeah . . . I suppose you have.” He let out a small laugh. “I came the quick route.” Reinette leans forward and touches the Doctor’s cheek, examining him. My eyes widen slightly as I watch them.

“Well, you seem to be flesh and blood, at any rate, but this is absurd. Reasons tells me you cannot be real.” The Doctor shakes his head, gazing at her.

“Oh, pfft . . . You never want to listen to reason. . .” He said.

“Mademoiselle! Your mother grows impatient.” A servant called.

“A moment!” Reinette called back, annoyed by the interruption. She looks back at the Doctor. “So many questions. So little time.” And with that she’s suddenly pulls the Doctor towards her and kisses him passionately on the lips. I close my eyes and turn my face away from them, biting my lip.

“Mademoiselle Poisson!” The servant called again. I snap my eyes open when I hear someone run out of the room. I quickly walk over to the Doctor, standing at the other end of the fireplace. The Doctor suddenly turns to me with wide eyes.

“Jessa—” I shake my head and gave him a tight smile.

“It’s okay. It’s not everyday you get to kiss Madame de Pompadour.” The Doctor stared at me then reaches for the trigger and pulls it. We return to ship and we both step away from the fireplace.

“Rose!” The Doctor called.

“Mickey?” I shouted but received no answer. The Doctor lets out a sigh and strides forward, peeved.

“Every time, every time, it’s rule one - Don’t wander off! I tell them, I do, rule one! There could be anything on this ship!” I giggled slightly at his little rant as we turn the corner and pause in bewilderment. In front of us stood a white horse, the Doctor and I share a look as the horse whinnies. The Doctor and I turn around and start to walk down another corridor, I look behind us to see the horse following us.

“Maybe if we ignore it, it’ll go away.” The Doctor whispered to me. I laughed and shook my head.

“It’s a horse, Doctor.” I told him. “I think he’s just lonely.” The Doctor huffed and crosses into another corridor, looking completely lost.

“Rose?” He called out, childlike. The horse continues to follow us. The Doctor stops and turns to the horse. “Will you stop following us? We are not your parents!” The horse noses him causing me to chuckle some more. The Doctor moves away and walks over to a set of white, French double doors. I look to the horse then to the doors.

“Is this where you came from?” I asked the horse and open the doors. The Doctor and I walk out onto a grassy courtyard, once again in Versailles. The Doctor suddenly walks off, I watch him leave with a raise eyebrow before spotting Reinette with a friend. I quickly hid behind a pillar before they could see me.

“Oh, Catherine, you are too wicked!” Reinette suddenly turns around and the Doctor and I quickly hide from her sight just in time.

“Oh, speaking of wicked, I hear Madame de Chateneux is ill and close to death.” After Reinette attention turns back to her friend, I move quickly towards the Doctor.

“Yes.” Reinette said seriously. “I am devastated.” She lets out a laugh.

“Oh, indeed. I myself am frequently inconsolable.” Her friend joins in. “The King will therefore be requiring a new mistress. You love the King, of course?”

“He is the King. And I love him with all my heart. And I look forward to metting him.” Catherine laughs. Reinette turns back towards and the Doctor pulls us behind the pillar again. I stare up at the Doctor while he places a finger to his lips, I nod my head with a little smile.

“Is something wrong, my dear?” Catherine asked.

“Not wrong, no.” Reinette replied.

“Every woman in Paris knows your ambitions.” The Doctor and I peek out from behind the pillar.

“Every woman in Paris shares them.” Reinette said.

“You know of course that the King is to attend the Yew Tree ball?” There voices soon fade into the distance. I turn back to the Doctor.

“Come on, we still have to find Rose and Mickey.” I told him and walk back to the door we came out of. We walk back onto the ship and quickly find Rose and Mickey staring at one of the portals.

“Blimey, look at this guy. Who does he think he is?” I heard Mickey ask as we walk up behind them.

“King of France.” The Doctor told him.

“Oh, here’s trouble. What you been up to?” Rose asked.

“Oh, this and that. Became the imaginary friends of a future French aristocrat . . . picked a fight with a clockwork man . . .” The Doctor said as we watched the king as he stands before the mirror. Then the horse whinnies from around the corner.

“And we met a horse.” I laughed as the horse trots into view.

“What’s a horse doing on a spaceship?” Mickey asked, confused.

“Mickey, what’s pre-Revolutionary France doing on a spaceship? Get a little perspective.” The Doctor looks through the window. “See these?” He points to the mirror. “They’re all over the place. On every deck. Gateways to history. But not just any old history. . .” He places a finger on the glass as Reinette enters the room. “Hers. Time window . . . deliberately arranged along the life of one particular woman. A spaceship from the fifty-first century stalking a woman from the eighteenth. Why?”

“Who is she?” Rose questioned.

“Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, known to her friends as Reinette. One of the most accomplished women who ever lived.” I told her.

“So has she got plans of being the Queen, then?” She asked. I shook my head.

“No, he’s already got a Queen. She’s got plans of being his mistress.” I replied watching Reinette and the King.

“Oh, I get it. Camilla.” Rose and Mickey laugh. My lips twitch slightly.

“I think this is the night they met. The night of the Yew Tree ball. In no time at flat, she’ll get herself established as his official mistress, with her own rooms at the palace . . . even her own title - Madame de Pompadour.” The king leaves and Reinette stands before the mirror, preening herself.

“Queen must have loved her . . .” Rose said.

“Absolutely, they were good friends.” I told her.

“The King’s wife and the King’s girlfriend?” Mickey questioned.

“France. It’s a different planet.” The Doctor said. I began to hear the telltale ticking sound and notched the clock on the mantelpiece was broken.

“Doctor.” I whispered. He turned to me and I pointed to the clock. The Doctor grabs the fire extinguisher from Mickey and swings the mirror around so he can step back into Reinette’s world.

“Hello, Reinette. Hasn’t time flown?” He asked.

“Fireplace man!” She exclaimed. The Doctor steps pass her and sprays the droid with the fire extinguisher until it’s immobile. He throws the extinguisher back to Mickey. The droid starts to click and whirr loudly.

“What’s it doing?” Mickey asked.

“Switching back on. Melting the ice.” The Doctor replied.

“And then what?” Mickey asked again.

“Then it kills everyone in the room.” The clockwork droid’s arm shoots out towards the Doctor’s throat, he jumps back. “Focuses the mind, doesn't it?” he said then addressed the droid. “Who are you? Identify yourself.” The droid cocks its head but doesn't answer. “Order it to answer me.” He told Reinette.

“Why should it listen to me?” She asked.

“It did when you were a child. Let’s see if you’ve still got it.” I told her. She turns to the droid.

“Answer his question. Answer any and all questions put to you.” The droid lowers its arm.

“I am repair droid seven.” It said.

“So what happened to the ship, then? There was a lot of damage.” The Doctor questioned it.

“Ion storm, eighty two percent systems failure.” It replied.

“That ship hasn't moved in over a year. What’s taken you so long.” The Doctor said.

“We did not have the parts.” It told us.

“Always comes down to that, doesn't it? The parts.” Mickey laughs. I shuffle back towards the mirror slightly. My bad feeling returning full force.

“What’s happened to the crew, where are they?” The Doctor asked.

“We did not have the parts.” It repeated.

“There should have been over fifty people on your ship. Where did they go?” The Doctor asked again.

“We did not have the parts.” I began to feel sick to my stomach as I realize what the droid was saying.

“Fifty people don’t just disappear! Where —?” It finally dawns on the Doctor. “Oh. You didn't have the parts, so you used the crew.”

“The crew?” Mickey asked, sounding a sick himself.

“We found a camera with an eye in it . . . and there was a heart . . . wired into the machinery.” Rose told us.

“It was just what it was programmed to. Repairing the ship any way it can, with whatever it could find. No-one told it the crew weren't on the menu. What did you say the flight deck smelt of?” The Doctor asked us.

“Someone cooking. . .” I said quietly.

“Flesh plus heat. Barbeque.” Reinette looks slightly sick. “But what are you doing here? You’ve opened up time windows, that takes colossal energy. Why come here, you could have gone to your repair yard. Instead you come to eighteenth century France? Why?”

“One more part is required.” The droid’s head jerks towards Reinette. We all stare at her.

“Then why haven't you taken it?” The Doctor asked looking back at the droid.

“She is incomplete.”

“What . . . so, that’s the plan then? Just keep opening up more and more time windows, scanning her brain, checking to see if she’s ‘done yet’?” The Doctor demanded.

“Why her?” I asked it. The Doctor turns to me, surprised at the abruptness of the question. “You’ve got all of history to choose from, why specifically her?”

“We are the same.”

“We are not the same, we are in no sense the same!” Reinette exclaimed, angrily.

“We are the same.”

“Get out of here! Get out of here this instance!” She advanced towards the droid.

“Reinette, no.” The droid activates a teleport and disappears. “It’s back on the ship. Rose, take Mickey and Arthur, get after it. Follow it, don’t approach it, just watch what it does.” I turned to the Doctor.

“Arthur?” I asked.

“Good name for a horse.” I laughed and shook my head.

“No, you’re not keeping the horse!” I told him, exasperated.

“I let you keep Mickey!” We chuckle and he turns to Mickey and Rose again. “Now go, go, go!” They run back through the mirror portal and the Doctor closes it behind them and turns back to Reinette. “Reinette, you’re going to have to trust me. I need to find out what they’re looking for, there’s only one way I can do that. Won’t hurt a bit.” Reinette nods her assent and the Doctor places his fingers on her temples and closes his eyes. Reinette also closes hers. I walk around the room looking at the objects in it while they do whatever their doing.

“Fireplace man . . . you are inside my mind.” I heard Reinette say after a moment.

“Oh dear, Reinette. You’ve had some cowboys in here.” He told her.

“You are in my memories. You walk among them.” I glance slightly at them.

“If there’s anything you don’t want me to see, just imagine a door and close it. I won’t look. Ooh . . . actually . . . there’s a door just there.” I turn back to the art work I was looking at. “You might want to clo— ooh. Actually, several.”

“To walk among the memories of another living soul . . . do you ever get used to this?” I heard Reinette ask.

“I don’t make a habit of it.” The Doctor told her.

“How can you resist?” She asked.

“What age are you?” The Doctor asked, ignoring her question.

“So impertinent a question so early in the conversation. How promising.” Reinette said.

“No, not my question - theirs. You’re twenty-three and for some reason, that means you’re not old enough.” Reinette flinches. “Sorry, you might find old memories reawakening. Side effect.” I tuned them out and began to explore into another room. I wander around the room looking at everything in awe.

“Jessamine.” I spun around at Reinette’s voice.

“How do you know my name?” I asked her.

“The Doctor thinks very highly of you.” I flush slightly and turn away. “He’s the only one you allow to call you by your full name.” I look back at her. “You love him.”

“I do.” I whispered. She smiled at me and took me by my hand leading me out of the room. “Where you taking me?”

“To my room. It’s time to get you dressed up to dance.” I stared at her confused.

“Dance?” I questioned as we entered her room.

“Yes, with the Doctor.” She let go of my hand and looked through the closet and pulled out a blue dress with sliver accents. She helped me into a corset then into the dress and everything else. She place my hair into a elegant bun with a few curled strands to frame my face. Then she put some light makeup on my face and some jewelry that match the dress.

“There done.” She said. I looked at myself in the mirror then to Reinette.

“Thank you.” I told her. She smiled and held her hand out to me.

“Come, the Doctor is waiting.” I grinned and took her hand. I stare at Reinette’s back as she lead us to the ball room. If I remember correctly, the king instantly fell in love with her on the night they met. The only way for that to happen means, I gasp and stopped walking. Reinette stops as well and turns back to look at me. “What is it, Jessamine?”

“You’re a Veela.” I said in awe. Reinette stares at me before nodding her head with a small smile.

“That I am.” She replied. I stared at her with wide eyes. The droids broke through the Time Lock I placed on this world, the world full of magic. “And you are a witch.”

“Yes.” I choked out. We begin to walk again.

“What is it like to live in a world without magic?” She asked me.

“Absolutely boring.” I told her, my mind reeling still. Reinette laughed as we entered the ball room. She pointed to a far corner. I look in the direction and spotted the Doctor leaning against the wall then look back to Reinette.

“Go, your mad man is waiting for you.” I nodded and walked towards the Doctor.

“Doctor?” I called softly. He looks up towards me.

“Jessamine.” He said in a soft tone. I held my hand out to him.

“Dance with me?” I asked him. He gave me a bright smile and took my hand bringing me into his arms. He held me close as we dance for what felt like hours. We stared into each other’s eyes as we moved around the room until I looked at one of the clocks. “We should head back to Rose and Mickey before they get into trouble.” I said as the Doctor twirled me around.

“We should.” He replied and we stopped dancing, standing in the middle of the dance floor. We continue to stare at one another for a few more minutes, our faces leaning closer to each other. Our lips brushed against each other lightly. I start to pull away but the Doctor holds me close to him. “I’m not letting you get away this time.” He whispered then pressed his lips against mine in a sweet kiss. When we pulled away from each other for air the Doctor had a silly grin on his face.

“Oh, come on you.” I laughed as I pulled him back to the room with the mirror portal. When we get back on the ship we began to look for Rose and Mickey. As we turned a corner I heard Rose’s voice. “Doctor.” I whispered and pointed to the direction her voice was coming from. He suddenly takes his tie of and places it around his head and a pair of sunglasses on then starts to stumble around drunk. I stared at him bemused then hooked one of his arms around my shoulder and headed to Rose and Mickey.

“I could’ve danced all night, I could’ve danced all night. . .” I struggled to keep my face straight as the Doctor staggers us into the room, dancing us around. “And still have begged for moooore . . . I could’ve spread my wings and done a thou — have you met the French?” He asked. Mickey looks at us bemused. “My . . . GOD, they know how to party.”

“Oh, look at what the cat dragged in. The Oncoming Storm.” Rose stated sarcastically.

“Oh, you sound just like your mother.” The Doctor said distastefully.

“What’ve you been doing?? Where’ve you been?!” Rose exclaimed crossly.

“Well . . . among other things, I think just invented the banana daiquiri a few centuries early.” Rose lies back, exasperated. The Doctor turns to me. “Do you know, they’ve never even seen a banana before!” He leans heavily against me. “Always take a banana to a party, Jessa. Bananas are GOOD.” I smiled as he spots the droids and stumbles over to them.

“Oh ho ho ho ho, brilliant. It’s you! You’re my favourite, you are, you are the best! Do you know why? ‘Cause you’re so THICK. You’re Mister Tick Thick Thickity Thick Face from Thicktown, Thickania.” The Doctor said absolutely delighted. “And so’s your dad.” He added as an afterthought. He strolls away. “Do you know what they were scanning Reinette’s brain for?” He sniggers. “Her milometer. They wanna know how old she is. Know why? ‘Cause this ship is thirty-seven years old. And they think that when Reinette is thirty-seven, when she’s ‘complete’, then her brain will be compatible. So, that’s what you’re missing, isn't it?” He stares one of the droids mockingly in the face.

“Hmm? Command circuit. Your computer. Your ship needs a brain. And for some reason - God knows what - only the brain of Madame de Pompadour will do.” The Doctor said.

“The brain is compatible.”

“Compatible?” He approached the droid. “If you believe that, you probably believe this is a glass of wine.” He removes the droid’s mask and pours the ‘wine’ into the clockwork inside the head of the droid. He replaces the mask and pats it on the head. The droid winds down. “Multigrain anti-oil. If it moves, it doesn’t.” The Doctor said sober again. A droid from the corner of the room begins to advance, but the Doctor quickly deactivates it using a nearby lever.

“Right, you two, that’s enough lying about . . .” He releases Rose and Mickey quickly with the sonic screwdriver and they slide down the tables onto the floor. “Time we got the rest of the ship turned off.”

“Are those things safe?” Mickey asked. I helped the Doctor fix his tie and pushed his sunglasses up.

“Yep. Safe. Safe and thick. Way I like them. Okay, all the time windows are controlled from here. I need to close them all down.” He feels his pockets. “Zeus plugs. Where are my Zeus plugs?” He looks around for them. “I had them a minute ago.”

“Why didn't they just open a time window to when she was thirty-seven?” Rose asked.

“With the amount of damage to these circuits, they’ll be lucky to hit the right century. Trial and error after that.” The Doctor tries to operate the computer. “The windows aren't closing. Why won't they close?” There was an ominous pinging sound.

“What’s that?” I questioned looking around.

“I don’t know . . . incoming message?” The Doctor said over the clicking sounds.

“From who?” Mickey asked.

“Report from the field . . . one of them must still be out there with Reinette! That’s why I can’t close the windows, there’s an override!” Behind us, one of the clockwork droids springs to life with a whirring sound. The droid expels the ‘wine’ the Doctor poured into its mechanics over the Doctor’s shoe. “Well, that was a bit clever.” The rest of the droids spring to life, filling the room with ticking.

“Right. . .many things about this not good.” The pinging sounds again. “Message from one of your little friends? Anything interesting?”

“She is complete. It begins.” They teleport out.

“What’s happening?” Rose asked.

“One of them must’ve found the right time window, and now it’s time to send in the troops. And this time they’re bringing back her head.” The Doctor and I quickly send Rose to warn Reinette as we figure out which window was the one where she was thirty-seven. Soon we found the window and sent Mickey off to get Rose. I watch the scene in front of me while the Doctor works frantically as Rose and Mickey join us.

“You found it, then?” She asked us.

“They knew we were coming. They blocked it off.” The Doctor told her.

“I don’t get it. How come they got in there?” Rose asked looking through the time window into the ballroom.

“They teleported - you saw them. As long as the ship and the ballroom are linked, their short-range teleports wild do the trick.” The Doctor said still working.

“Well, we’ll go in the TARDIS!” I shook my head.

“We can’t use the TARDIS, we’re part of events now.” I told them.

“Well, can’t we just smash through it?” Mickey asked. I turned to him an idea beginning to forum in my head.

“Hyperplex this side, plate glass the other. We need a truck.” I quickly began to look for Arthur.

“We don’t have a truck.” Mickey said as I walk down the corridor a bit then finally found Arthur. I looked up at him and petted his nose.

“Ready to return home, boy?” I asked him in choked voice. I grab his reins and straddle his middle. Taking a deep breath, I tap his sides with my feet. Arthur begins to trot down the corridor. I tap my feet again to make him go faster. We run pass Rose, Mickey, and the Doctor.

“Jessamine!” Is the last thing I hear as we smash through the mirror and land in the ballroom. The guests shriek and Reinette’s mouth drops open. I wink as I trot pass her. Arthur comes to a halt and I drop down.

“Madame de Pompadour. You look younger every day.” Reinette smiles at me.

“What the hell is going on?” the king yelled.

“Oh - this is my lover, the King of France.” Reinette told me. I nodded my head to the King.

“Lady Potter.” I turn and approach the chief droid. “I’m here to fix the clock.” I remove the mask of the droid, revealing the clockwork underneath, which elicits a gasp from the crowd. The droid points it’s weapon at me. “Forget it. It’s over. For you and me.” I look up at the broken mirror. There’s only a brick wall behind it. “Talk about bad luck. . .” I whispered. The droid cocks its head to look at the mirror. The droid repeatedly tries to use it’s teleport, to no avail. It turns back to me.

“The link with the ship is broken. No way back. You don't have the parts.” I sneered at it. “It’s over. Accept that.” And finally, the clock work winds down and the droid goes dead. The other droids follow suit and slump forward. The guests whisper amongst one another as I hold a hand out to Reinette. “You all right?” Reinette nods and takes my hand. I pull her up to her feet.

“What’s happened to them?” She asked.

“They’ve stopped. They have no purpose now.” I told her as we stand in the middle of the destruction, hand in hand. I sighed and looked back up at the mirror as the party begins once again. I’m handed a glass of wine. I take a small sip and move to stand by a window. I stare up at the sky watching the stars wondering maybe that the Doctor is up there right now having an amazing adventure with Rose and Mickey.

“Do you know all their names? Like the Doctor?” I turn to find Reinette standing behind me, watching me. I shook my head and looked back up at the sky.

“No, I don’t. I’m not as smart as the Doctor.” Reinette came to stand beside me.

“I have often wished to see those stars a little closer. Just as you have, I think.” I smiled lightly.

“From time to time.” I told her. We go quiet for a while, Reinette staring at me while I stare up at the sky.

“In saving me, you trapped yourself. Did you know that would happen?” She asked me.

“Yes but I’m home now. Maybe not the right time but the right universe.” I replied, my eyes starting to sting with tears.

“But it doesn't feel like home anymore does it?” I turn to her, a single tear running down my cheek.

“No it doesn’t. I miss the Doctor. I miss my family.” I choked out. Reinette place a comforting hand on my shoulder.

“There were many doors between my world and yours. Can you not use one of the others?” She questioned.

“When the mirror broke, the shock severed all the links with the ship. Probably a lot more mirrors around here broken, sorry. I’ll pay for the damage.” Reinette laughs. “I wonder if the goblins will believe me if I told them who I am?” I wondered out loud.

“So, here you are. Stuck on the slow path, with me.” I turn back to Reinette.

“Yeah. I think we’ll have a lot of fun together. Best friends.” I grin and hold my glass up. “To the slow path.” Reinette laughs and we chink our glasses together and sip our wine.

“It’s a pity . . . I think I would’ve enjoyed the slow path.” I frown at Reinette.

“I’m not going anywhere.” I told her.

“Oh, aren't you?” She sets down her wine. “Take my hand.” I take her hand and she leads me out of the room. We enter Reinette’s bedroom and stand in the doorway. “It’s not a copy. It’s the original. I had it moved here and was exact in every detail.” I stared at the fireplace in awe.

“The fireplace . . .” I walk slowly towards it. “The one from your bedroom. When did you do this?”

“Many years ago. In hopes that a door once opened, may someday be opened again. One never quite knows when one needs one’s Doctor and Sorceress.” We smiled at each other. “It appears undamaged, do you think it will still work?”

“I sure damn well hope so.” I told her and move closer to the fireplace. I turn back to Reinette. “Thank you, Reinette.” She nods her head, a hint of sadness in her eyes. I begin to tap on the wood and finally found what I was looking for. “Yes!”

“What?” Reinette asked.

“Loose connection!” I take my wand out and hold it to the ‘loose connection’. I bang on the mantelpiece, then stand ready for the fireplace to turn. I look over to Reinette. “Goodbye, Reinette.” The fireplace starts to revolve. As soon as I’m on the other side, I crouch and call through the flames. “Reinette!” She crouches on the other side. “Still want to see those stars?”

“More than anything.” She replied.

“Give me two minutes to find everyone and get ready. Pack a bag!” I told her.

“Am I going somewhere?” She asked.

“Go to the window. Pick a star. Any star.” I stand up and grab big hands full of my dress and run to were the TARDIS was. I race down corridors until I finally reach the control room. There standing with his head hanging to his chest and arms crossed was the Doctor. Mickey was hugging Rose to him as her shoulders shake. “Who died?” I asked loudly. All three heads snapped towards me in shock.

“Jessa!” Rose shouted and ran towards me. I held her tight once she got to me. Mickey soon joined the hug.

“I’m so sorry.” I told them as we let go of one another. I walk passed them and towards the Doctor, who was just staring at me. “My mad man speechless? Is the world ending?” I teased half-heartedly. I’m suddenly brought into a tight embrace. I wrap my arms around the Doctor’s shaking shoulders.

“Never do something like that again, Jessamine.” He muttered into my shoulder.

“You can drive the TARDIS. I’m still learning. Rose and Mickey need you more then they need me to get home, Doctor.” I whispered to him. He leaned back and framed my face with his hands.

“But I need you.” Then he kissed me. After a few minutes I pull away.

“Doctor, we need to go get Reinette. I promise her to see the stars.” The Doctor takes my hand and we rush back to the fireplace. “Reinette?” We kneel before the flames. “You there, Reinette?” The Doctor triggers the fireplace and we return to Reinette’s room. Her room was completely dark. I pause as the Doctor wanders out into the halls. I soon join the Doctor in the halls.

“Reinette?” The Doctor calls this time. There was no one around except for King Louis, who was standing by a window, looking outside. “Oh. Hello.”

“You just missed her. She’ll be in Paris by six.” The King said.

“Ah.” The King stares at us and takes a few steps towards us. “Good Lord . . . she was right. She said you never looked a day older.” The Doctor raised his eyebrows. “So many years since I saw you last, yet not a day of it on your face.” He walks slowly over to a sideboard and opens a drawer. He takes out two letters. “She spoke of you two many times.” I slowly shut my eyes as I realize what’s going on.

“Often wished you’d visits again. You know how women are.” He holds the letters out to us. We both take a letter address to us. The King is distracted by the thrash of a whip, a neighing from outside and then the sound of hooves. He goes back to the window. “There she goes. Leaving Versailles for the last time. Only forty-three when she died.” We walk slowly up behind the King to watch the hearse, I press my face into the Doctor’s chest not able to hide my pain.

“Too young . . . too young. Illness took her in the end. She always did work too hard.” The King turns to us. “What does she say?” Without a word and without looking away from the window, the Doctor silently tucks our letters inside his jacket. “Of course. Quite right.” After a few more moments, the Doctor wraps an arm around my waist and leads us back to the ship. The Doctor opens the TADIS door for me and shuts it wearily behind him as we walk slowly up to the console.

“Why her?” Rose and Mickey were standing by the console. “Why did they thick they could fix the ship with the head of Madame de Pompadour?”

“We’ll probably never know. There was massive damage in the computer memory base. Probably got confused.” The Doctor head towards the control. I watch him from the beginning of the ramp. “The TARDIS can close down the time windows now the droids are gone. Should stop it causing any more trouble. He taps on the computer, acting for the world as if everything’s ok, but I know better.

“You all right?” Rose asked. The Doctor looks up.

“I’m always all right.” He smiles briefly, and fiddles with the controls again. I send a look at Mickey. He quickly realizes and tugs on Rose’s arm.

“Come on, Rose. Show me the rest of this place.” Rose hesitances for a moment then lets Mickey lead her out of the control room. I walk over to the Doctor and brought him into a comforting hug.

“Everything will be okay as long as we have each other, Doctor. Don’t forget that. I will never leave you by my own choice.” I place a kiss to his forehead and take my letter from Reinette. I walk out of the control room and down to my room. I open the door and shut it, leaning against it for a few moments before moving to my bed. I open the envelope and pulled the letter out.

_“Dear Jessamine,_   
_I fear that we won’t be seeing one another again. You and the Doctor have been on my mind since I can remember and I would not change that for the world. You gave me such fond memories and I will never forget you. I wish we could of taken the slow path together but I fear I would break you even more if I made you watch my death in person. It is why I sent you back home, I could not do that to you. To the beautiful young woman I have come to think of as a sister in all but blood. Take care of our lonely Angel and love him with all your heart for the both of us. He needs you, Jessamine, just as much as you need him. Do not forget me._   
_Godspeed my sister”_

I place the letter on my nightstand with a shaky hand. I stood up and moved towards my closet. I slowly and carefully began to take my dress and corset off. I hung them in the closet and shut the door. I walk over to my art desk and sat down. I took a sketching book out of one of the drawers and flipped to a clean page. There I drew Reinette in all her beautiful splendor. As soon as I was done, I stared at the picture before bursting into soft sobs.

“I will never forget you, Madame de Pompadour.” I slowly shut the book and place it back in it spot.

“Never my sister.” I whisper.


	7. Rise of the Cybermen

I stayed in my room for a little while longer until I had my tears under control and I didn't look like I just cried my eyes out. I quickly got dressed then headed to the control room. As I’m walking down the hallway the TARDIS starts to jerk violently and I’m tossed into the wall. I hold onto the wall as I stand back up or try to really.

“Des? Des, what’s going on?” I asked her but receive no response. I grunt as I crash into the wall again as I try to make my way down to the other’s. Then suddenly I’m tossed backwards and land on the floor, hard. I groan in pain as I turn to my side slowly before sitting up. My head hurt, my back hurt, every bloody part of my body hurt. I stand back up after a few seconds and head straight to the control room.

“Everyone all right?” I heard the Doctor ask.

“What the bloody hell just happen?” I asked as I walk towards him. “I was on my here when I was all but thrown into the wall!” The Doctor quickly looks me over.

“You all right?” He asked, worriedly.

“I’m fine just a bit bruised. What’s wrong with Des? She wouldn't answer me, she always answers me.” I tell him. He quickly rushes over to the console.

“She’s dead.” I hear him whisper. I snap my head towards him.

“I’m sorry?” I questioned then look back to the console. There’s smoke rising from it and all the lights are off.

“The TARDIS is dead.” The Doctor walks slowly around the console.

“You can fix it?” Rose asked him. I stared at the Doctor then at the console in worry.

“There’s nothing to fix. She’s perished.” He pulls a lever back and forth fruitlessly. “The last TARDIS in the universe . . . extinct.” I cover my mouth with my hand. The sorrow in the Doctor’s voice causing my eyes to prick with tears.

“We can get help, yeah?” Rose offered.

“Where from?” The Doctor asked her.

“Well, we’ve landed - we’ve gotta be somewhere.” She replied.

“We fell out of the vortex, through the void, into nothingness. We’re in some sort of no-place . . .the silent realm . . . the lost dimension . . .” The Doctor trailed off.

“Otherwise know as London!” Mickey laughs as he steps out of the door. We quickly follow after him, only to enter 21st century London. “London, England, Earth. Hold on. . .” He jumps off the low wall and picks a paper out of a dustbin and looks at the cover. “First of February, this year - not exactly far-flung, is it?” Rose jumps down and looks over his shoulder. I frown as I look around. Something didn't feel right. I look up to the sky and my eyes widen at the sight before them. I nudge at the Doctor to get his attention. He looks at me with a raised eyebrow and I just point up, still looking at the sky.

“So, this is London.” The Doctor said, his voice a bit high pitch.

“Yep.” Mickey answered.

“Your city.” The Doctor moves to jump down then holds a hand out to me.

“That’s the one.” I take a hold of his hand and he helps me down.

“Just as we left it.” The Doctor holds onto my hand as we turn to Rose and Mickey.

“Bang on.” Mickey almost cheers.

“I don’t remember zeppelins being in the sky when we left.” I said causing Mickey and Rose to look at me then they look up to the sky full of zeppelins.

“What the hell. . .” Mickey gasped out.

“That’s beautiful.” Rose breathes out.

“Okay.” Mickey shrugged. “So, it’s London with a big international zeppelin festival.” I raised an eyebrow at that.

“International zeppelin festival?” I questioned him, Mickey just shrugs again.

“This is not your world.” The Doctor told us. Mickey and Rose looked at him confused.

“But if the date’s the same. . .” Both mine and Mickey’s eyes widen as we worked it out. “It’s parallel, right? Am I right? Like parallel Earth where they’ve got Zeppelins, am I right? I’m right, aren't I?”

“Parallel?” I whispered, dazed as I looked around and tighten my hold on the Doctor’s hand.

“Must be.” The Doctor replied as he returned the squeeze.

“So, a parallel world where —” Rose trails off suddenly.

“Oh, come on. You see it on films. Like an alternative to our world were everything’s the same but a little bit different, like . . . I dunno - traffic lights are blue, Tony Blair never got elected . . .” Mickey rambles off.

“And he’s still alive. . .” I snap my head towards Rose. She’s gazing at a poster right in front of us. On it is our father, Pete Tyler. “A parallel world and our dad’s still alive . . .” She makes towards the poster. I let go of the Doctor’s hand and quickly grab Rose’s arm, dragging her away from the poster.

“Do not look at it, Rose. This isn't our world and that’s not our father.” I told her sternly.

“But Jessa, that’s our dad . . .” I shake my head furiously.

“No, Rose.” She pulls her arm out of my grip.

“He’s a success, Jessa! All his planning and schemes that everyone said was useless, but he did it.” I grasp her shoulders and turn her to me, looking her straight in the eyes.

“Rose, listen to me right now.” She tries to glance back at the poster. “Rose, stop looking at it!” She reluctantly meets my eyes again. “He’s dead. He died when you were six months old and I was six. This isn't our Pete. He’s got his own Jackie — his own daughters, for all we know, but they aren’t us.” Her eyes start to wonder back to the poster but I shake her shoulders. “You can’t see him. Not ever.” I wait until she gives me a tiny nod before releasing her with my own nod. I take a step back, tossing a quick glance at the poster before shaking my head and rush back to the TARDIS with the Doctor following after me. I place my hands on the console and hang my head to my chest, squeezing my eyes shut.

“Jessamine?” The Doctor whispers as he places a hand on my shoulder. I take a deep breath and turn around.

“I’m fine, just needed a minute.” I told him. He watches me for a few seconds.

“Are you sure?” He questions. I nodded my head while crossing my arms staying quiet for a while.

“I just don’t want to go through losing him again.” I told him finally. The Doctor gives me a soft understanding look which I return with a small smile before turning back to the console. “Let’s figure out what’s wrong with Des so we can get the hell out of here and away from temptation.”

“I couldn't agree more with you.” The Doctor replied stepping up beside me. The Doctor and I go through every part of the console and control room twice before the Doctor yells in frustration banging his fist on console. I bite my lip as he hangs his head in clear defeat. I’m about to move over to him when Mickey enters the TARDIS and the Doctor rounds on him.

“I told you to keep an eye on her!” He exclaimed, angrily. Mickey shrugs dismissively.

“She’s all right—”

“She goes wandering off - parallel world, it;s like a gingerbread house! All those temptations calling out.” The Doctor interrupted him, I turned to Mickey realizing that his grandmother could possibly be alive.

“Oh, so it’s just Rose then? Nothing out there to tempt me?” Mickey snaps back.

“Mickey.” I said softly. He turns to me with hope in his eyes. I just shake my head, not having the heart to till him that he can’t going looking for her like I know he wants too. Mickey sighs unhappily but nods his head.

“If I could just get this thing to —” The Doctor kicks the console hard in his frustration. Mickey and I watch him slowly walk over to the chair, scowling.

“Did that help?” Mickey snickers.

“Yes.” The Doctor bites out.

“Did that hurt?” Mickey asked this time, taking pleasure from the man’s obvious pain. The Doctor just shoots him a dirty look and sits down, rubbing his foot. I rolled my eyes at them.

“That’s what you get for kicking Des.” I told him before going back to find out what’s wrong with Des. I was beginning to miss having her in my head.

“We’re not meant to be here. The TARDIS draws its power off the universe, but it’s the wrong universe. It’s like diesel in a petrol engine.” The Doctor said uncomfortably.

“But. . .I’ve seen it in comics. People are hopping from one alternative world to another - it’s easy.” Mickey said as he sat down next to him. I snorted but kept quiet, the boys were sort of getting along and I didn't want to stop it quite yet.

“Not in the real world.” The Doctor paused for a second. “Used to be easy. When the Time Lords kept their eye on everything, you could hop between realities, home in time for tea. Then they died, took it all with them. The walls of reality closed, the worlds were sealed. Everything became that bit less kind.”

“Then how did we get here?” Mickey asked.

“I dunno. Accident? Should’ve been impossible - now we’re trapped.” The Doctor sounded weary. I glanced at him for a short second before looking at the ground where something glowing green caught my attention.

“What’s that?” I questioned, bending down to look at the glowing object better.

“What?” The boys asked.

“Under the console.” I pointed. “Something’s glowing.” The Doctor quickly moved over to me.

“It’s a light! Is it? Is that a light? I think that’s a light! That’s all we need!” The Doctor chattered excitedly as we removed the grilling. “We’ve got power! Mickey, Jessamine, we’ve got power! Ha!” I laugh in relief as the Doctor hops down going underneath the console and pulling out some very important looking internals of Des. I’ll have to make sure he puts them back in their proper place. “It’s alive!” The Doctor sounds deliriously happy which I don’t blame him for.

“What is it?” Mickey asked, confused.

“It’s nothing. It’s tiny. One of those insignificant little power cells that no one ever bothers about, and it’s clinging onto life. But with one little ounce of reality tucked away inside.” The Doctor told us.

“Seems like all the things we deem insignificant turn out to be rather significant.” I stated earning a bright smile from the Doctor.

“Right you are, Jessamine!” He hops up a little to place a kiss to my cheek before going back the power cell.

“Is it enough to get us home?” Mickey raised an eyebrow in annoyance.

“Not yet.” The Doctor picks up the power cell and sits back on the small set of stairs under the grilling.

“I need to charge it up.” He holds it carefully, cupped in both his hands.

“We could go outside and latch it up to the national grid!” Mickey said but I shake my head.

“Wrong sort of energy. It’ll probably have to be something from our universe.” I told him.

“But we don’t have anything.” Mickey said, worriedly.

“There’s me. . .” The Doctor mutters and before I can stop him, he gently blows on the power cell and it begins to glow brightly. The Doctor beams at us. “I just gave away ten years of my life. Worth every second!” I stare at him with wide eyes and the bastard has the nerves to giggle. Though I will admit it was an adorable giggle it doesn't make for the fact he just gave some of his life away.

“WHAT!” I yelled. It was the Doctor’s turn to look at me with wide eyes. “Ten years! What! I don’t even — What!” Was all I could get out. The Doctor quickly but gently hands the cell over to Mickey before taking me into his arms.

“Hey, it’s okay!” He said. I pulled back from him.

“Okay? Ten years of your life, Doctor!” I threw my hands into the air. “We have no idea how much time you have left and doing stuff like that isn’t going to help! There’s no way for you to get more time for when you finally do.” The Doctor cups my cheeks and stares at me, gently.

“I promise it’ll be okay, Jessamine.” I sigh and close my eyes, placing my forehead against his.

“I just don’t want to be left behind.” I whispered to him.

“And you won’t, I’m not going anywhere.” He whispered back, placing a quick kiss to my lips.

“It’s going out! Is that okay?” Mickey’s voice startled us apart. The Doctor cleared his throat and nodded.

“It’s on a recharging cycle.” The cell glows brighter again then dims. “It’ll loop round, power back up and be ready to take us home in - oh - twenty-four hours?”

“So, that gives us twenty-four hours on a parallel world?” Mickey questioned, innocently. I raised an eyebrow at him not buying his act.

“Surely! As long as we keep our heads down. Easy. No problem.” The Doctor takes the cell back then puts it in his pocket and heads out to Rose. I sighed as we walked out of the TARDIS, this was going to end in a disaster. Rose was sitting on a bench a little way from the TARDIS. “There you are! You all right? No applause, I fixed it!” He shows her the cell. “Twenty-four hours, then we’re flying back to reality.” Rose stays silent so I knelt in front of her and took one of her hands in mind.

“What’s wrong, Rose?” I asked her.

“My phone connected. There’s this. . .Cybus Network, it finds your phone. It gave me Internet access.” She said softly.

“Rose, it doesn't matter. This isn't our world, so whatever it says —”

“I don’t exist.” She interrupted me. I stared at her for a moment in shock.

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused.

“There’s no Rose Tyler. I was never born, but you were.” She glares at me.

“What?” Rose stands up causing me to fall to the ground.

“You were born! With your twin brother!” Rose yells, I just stare up at her. “How is that fair! Why do you get to have time with my dad! Not only that but your married and have a kid!”

“I’m married?” I whispered. The Doctor moves over to me and helps me up.

“Yeah, to some fella named John Smith.” I froze in my spot.

“John? Harry?” I said in a daze. The Doctor turns me to look at him.

“Jessamine, you can’t go looking for them. They aren't your John and Harry. I’m sorry.” He does look incredibly sorry.

“I know, I know.” I gasped out after a moment.

“I’ve gotta see him.” I heard Rose all but demand. The Doctor let’s go of me and turns to her then starts to argue with her. Mickey watches me for a moment before taking my hand and walked us away from Rose and the Doctor.

“Mickey?” I questioned as the Doctor turns around to us.

“Where’re you going?” The Doctor asked, bewildered.

“Well, I can do what I want!” Mickey called back. Rose was walking backwards in the opposite direction.

“Stay where you are, the three of you! Rose, come back here! Mickey, Jessamine, come back here right now!” He looked from Rose to us frantically.

“I just wanna see him.” Rose said, childishly.

“Yeah, I’ve got things to see and all.” I stare up at Mickey then over to the Doctor. The Doctor looked at me pleadingly to help.

“Go with Rose, Doctor. I’ll watch Mickey.” I told him and Mickey and I walk off, leaving the Doctor to chase after Rose. “Let’s go see gran.” I said to Mickey and we raced off to were she would live. As we walk along a factory we come up to a barring in the road with military soldiers standing around. One of them approaches us.

“We all right to get past?” Mickey asked him.

“Yeah. No bother. Curfew doesn't start ’til ten.” The soldier told us.

“There’s a curfew?” I asked, bewildered.

“Course there is. Where’ve you been living, mate? Up there with the toffs?” He looks up at the sky and Mickey follows his gaze.

“We wish.” The soldier lifts the barrier and we walk through going on our way. We turn a corner in a run-down looking area and cross the street. Mickey’s pace begins to slow slightly as we approach one of the doors.

“We don’t have to do this.” I tell him, placing a hand on his arm.

“No, I need. . . I need to know.” He whispered. I smiled and we walked up to the door. Mickey knocks three times.

“Who’s that there?” Both Mickey and I sucked in a shocked breath. The door opens and Mickey’s gran stands on the threshold, alive. “Who is it? I know you’re there. Shame on you, tricking an old lady.” She brandishes her sight cane at us. “And don’t think I’m gonna disappear! You’re NOT gonna take ME.” I stand back to let Mickey have a moment with her. He just stares at her, overcome.

“Hi.” He finally said after a few minutes. Rita-Anne stops in her tracks.

“Is that you?” She asked, hushed.

“It’s me. I came home.” Rita-Anne reaches out to him, touching his face.

“Ricky?” I quickly cover my mouth to smother the snort of laughter trying to break out.

“It’s Mickey.” he sends a glare my way.

“I know my own grandson’s name. It’s Ricky. Now, come here.” I smiled softly as they hug.

“Okay, I’m Ricky. Of course I am. Ricky, that’s me.” Mickey agreed just so happy to be with her. Then Rita-Anne suddenly pushes him away and whacks him on the shoulder. I smother another round of laughter. “Ow!”

“You stupid boy.” She smacks him again. “Where’ve you been?”

“Ow! Stop hitting me!” But she just continues to hit him.

“It’s been days and days! I keep hearing all these stories. People disappearing off the streets. There’s nothing of it on the download.” She points to her earpiece. “But there’re all these rumors, and — and whispers. I thought that God had disappeared you!” Mickey looks behind her.

“That carpet on the stairs, I told you to get it fixed, you’re gonna —” His voice trembles as he paused from a moment. “fall and break your neck.”

“Well, you get it fixed for me.” She said.

“I should’a done way back. I guess I’m just kinda useless.” I bite my lip at that, ‘Oh, Mickey.’

“Now, I never said that.” Rita-Anne replied.

“I am, though. And I’m sorry, gran. I’m so sorry.” He was choking up on tears.

“Don’t talk like that. Do you know what you need? A nice sit down and a cuppa tea. You got time?” She asked him.

“For you, I’ve got all the time in the world.” Mickey told her. Rita-Anne laughs.

“You say that, but it’s all talk. It’s those new friends of yours. I don’t trust them.” She said as she moves out of the way for him to get inside.

“What friends are they?” Mickey questioned, curious.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. You’ve been seeing them since that Tyler girl got married and had that cute little boy.” Mickey and I shared a surprised look. “Mrs. Chan told me. Driving about all helter-skelter in that van.” I turn around at the sound of skidding tyres.

“What van’s that, then?” Mickey asked this time.

“You know full well! Don’t play games with me.” A van pulls up behind us. “Get inside!” Some guy leaps out of the van and grabs us both by the collar.

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” The man told Mickey as he drags us into the van and the woman driving wastes no time and peels away. The guy sits across from us, he sends me a quick glare before turning to Mickey. I raised an eyebrow at the guy confused on why he’s glaring at me.

“Ricky, you were the one who told us - you don’t contact your family ‘cos it puts them in danger!” He reprimanding Mickey.

“Yeah. Ricky said that. Course I did, just testing.” I rolled my eyes at Mickey’s attempt to play himself off as this Ricky guy.

“I saw them. I taped them! They went round Black Friars gathering up the homeless like a child-catcher. They must’ve took four dozen.” The guy told us.

“The vans were hired out to a company called ‘International Electromatics’. But I did a protocol search. . .turns out that’s a dummy company established by guess who?” The woman asked him.

“I dunno, who?” He asked.

“Cybus Industries!” They both shout. Mickey nods, just going along with it.

“And now we’ve got evidence!” The guy said to the woman.

“Bad news is, they’ve arrested Thin Jimmy. So that just leaves you.” The woman said to Mickey.

“Leaves me what?” Mickey asked.

“The Number One. Top of the list. London’s Most Wanted.” The guy said it as though it was something to be pleased about.

“Okay, cool.” Mickey paused then snapped his head towards them. “Say that again?” The van pulls over and the guy hops out of the back first.

“There’s a light on. There’s someone inside the base.” Mickey hops down after him then I go next. “Mrs Moore - we’ve got visitors.” The three of them sneak down the side of the house like spies, guns at the ready. I rolled my eyes and followed after them. “One. . . two. . . three. . . go!” They burst into the house and a perfect copy of Mickey stood in front of us.

“What the hell are you doing?” He asked the two with the guns. They look at him then to Mickey, completely bewildered.

“What’re you doing there?!” The guy exclaimed. Ricky slowly starts to walk forward.

“What am I doing HERE?” He stares at Mickey then to me, brow furrowed. “What am I doing THERE?” He points a finger at Mickey. The two idiots in front of us immediately spin around and turn their guns on us, Mickey raises his hands, eyes wide but I just cross my arms, rolling my eyes.

“You lot are idiots.” I told them. Ricky steps up to me while the other two take Mickey. They strip him to his boxer and tied him to a chair.

“Jessa, what are you doing here? Aren’t you suppose to be in Scotland?” Ricky asked me. I stare at him for a moment trying to think about what to say.

“I came down for my mother’s birthday.” I told him. He nods while looking me up and down.

“What about Smith and the kid?” I raised an eyebrow at him. ‘Is he jealous of John?’ I thought to myself.

“John and I decide that Harry’s too young to be traveling yet.” I explain. Ricky gives me a smirk as he slides an arm around my shoulders.

“So your alone then?” I scoff and move his arm off my shoulders.

“In your dreams, Ricky.” He scowls at me and moves away. He turns and stares at Mickey.

“This is off the scale. He’s flesh and blood - how did that happen?” Ricky asked.

“Well, it could be that Cybus Industries have perfected the science of human cloning. . .? Or your father had a bike?” Rickey continues to glare at Mickey and circles him menacingly.

“Your names is Mickey, not Ricky?” he asked.

“Mickey. Dad was Jackson Smith. Used to work at the key cutters in Cliffton’s Parade. Went to Spain, never came back.” Mickey told him. Rickey bends to get a closer look at him.

“But that’s MY dad. So . . . we’re brothers?” Ricky questioned.

“Be fair. What else could it be?” The guy asked with a shrug of his shoulders.

“I don’t know. But he doesn’t just look like me, he is exactly the same. There’s something else going on here, Jake.” ‘So that’s what the guy’s name is.’ I wander around the compound, bored of the conversation going on in front of me.

“So, who are you lot?” I heard Mickey ask.

“We - we are the Preachers. As in Gospel Truth. You see?” I turn and see Ricky touch his ears. “No ear plugs. While the rest of the world downloads from Cybus Industries, we - WE have got freedom. You’re talking to London’s Most Wanted. But target Number One is Lumic, and we ARE going to bring him down.” I raised an eyebrow and look around the room.

“From your kitchen?” I questioned causing Jake to smirk and Ricky to scowl again.

“Got a problem with that, Tyler?” He growled out. I smirked and shake my head.

“Not at all, Smith.” A laptop bleeps.

“It’s an upload from Gemini.” The woman said.

“Who is Gemini?” Mickey asked.

“The vans are back. They’re moving out of Battersea. Looks like Gemini was right. Lumic’s finally making a move.” She states while ignoring Mickey’s questioned.

“And we are right behind him. Pack up, we’re leaving.” I quickly move over to the woman while she and Jake untie Mickey.

“Hi.” The woman looks up at me. “I’m Jessa, I didn't quite get your name.” I held a hand out to her.

“I know who you are and I’m Mrs Moore.” Mrs Moore said before moving away to start packing equipment. Frowning, I lower my hand.

“Tough crowd, huh?” I turn to look at now redressed Mickey.

“You have no idea.” I replied, dryly. We’re herded into the van again and driving to some manor. Rickey and Jake jump out while Mrs Moore, Mickey, and I stay in the van.

“I’ve identified the address. It belongs to Peter Tyler. The Vitex millionaire.” Mrs Moore told Mickey and I. We shared a wide eye look.

“Pete Tyler?” Mickey repeated.

“He’s listed as one of Lumic’s henchmen. A traitor to the state.” Mrs Moore sends me a squinted look.

“Hey! My dad is not a traitor to the state or otherwise!” I exclaimed angrily, even though this man wasn't my Pete Tyler he was still after all the man who raised me, sort of. ‘Just play the part, Jessa. But now I know why they don’t like me much.’

“We’ve gotta get in there, Jessa.” Mickey told me, shocked. I nodded in agreement. Suddenly, Ricky and Jake returned.

“What are you two doing back?” I asked them.

“There’s these metal things out there, coming from the vans.” Jake panted out.

“Metal things?” I repeated in confusion. Jake and Ricky take a gun each then booked it back to the house. Mickey and I quickly follow after them. Suddenly, gunshots go off. “Shite!” I yelled and pumped my legs faster. I slowed down once I reached the group in front of me. “Rose, why are you hugging Ricky?” Rose quickly pulls away from him as Mickey finally shows up.

“That’s not me. That’s like . . . the other one.” Rose stares at Mickey then at Ricky.

“Oh, as if things weren't bad enough - there’s two Mickey’s!” The Doctor whined. I rolled my eyes at his dramatics.

“It’s Ricky.” Ricky told him.

“But there’s more of them. . .” Mickey said referring to the metal men. We looked at them as they surrounded us.

“We’re surrounded. . .”

“Obviously, Rose.” I muttered, she just shoots me a dirty look. Rickey raises his gun.

“Put the guns down. Bullets won’t stop them.” Jake ignores him and fires a rally. The Doctor pushes his gun aside angrily. “No! Stop shooting, now!” The Doctor straightens and addresses the metal things.

“We surrender! Hands up . . .” We all put our hands up. “. . . there’s no need to damage us, we’re good stock. We volunteer for the upgrade program. Take us to be processed.” I turned and looked at the Doctor.

“Excuse me? Upgrade? Processed?” He sends me a stern look that told me to stop talking.

“You are rogue elements.” One of the robots said.

“But we surrender.” The Doctor told it.

“You are incompatible.” It replied.

“But this isa surrender!” The Doctor exclaimed.

“You will be deleted.”

“But we’re surrendering! Listen to me, we surrender!” The Doctor shouted, frantic.

“You are inferior.Man will be reborn as Cyberman but you will perish under maximum deletion.” The Cyberman raised it’s arm and reached towards the Doctor. We all watched terrified. “Delete. Delete. Delete!”


	8. Age of Steel

The Doctor suddenly points the power cell at the Cybermen, which expels a shot of golden light which bounds off one of them and onto the others, disintegrating them all.

“What the hell was that?” Ricky asked.

“We’ll have that instead — RUN!” The Doctor yelled as he grabbed my hand pulling me behind him as we began to run. As we move across the yard the van drove in front of us and stop.

“Everybody in!” Mrs. Moore shouted as she honk the horn. Pete tries to run back to the house but the Doctor grabs him, trying to restrain him.

“I’ve gotta go back, my wife’s in there.” He told him.

“Anyone inside that house is dead. If you wanna help, then don’t let her die for nothing. You’ve gotta come with us right now.” Pete stared at the Doctor for awhile still trying to get back to the house.

“Dad, please listen to him.” He turned to me.

“Jessamine, your mum. . .” I gave him a sad smile.

“She’s gone, dad. We have to go.” Pete sighs and nods his head understanding. He hurries after us and gets in the van.

“Come on, get a move on!” Rose and I stare at the house for a few moments. I place a hand on her shoulder.

“Rose, that’s not our mother.” I told her.

“I know.” She said with a soft voice.

“Come on.” I gently push her in the direction of the van and we get in the back.

“Finished chatting? Never seen a slower getaway in my life!” We drive off. The Cybermen marching ominously forward. The van was driving along at a steady speed now, relatively calm. Ricky, who was sitting in the front, glares through the grilling at the power cell, which the Doctor is still holding in his hand.

“What was that thing?” He asked.

“Little bit of technology from my home.” The Doctor told him.

“It’s stopped glowing. Has it run out?” Mickey asked this time.

“It’s on a revitalizing loop. It’ll charge back up in about four hours.” The Doctor replied as he putt it back in his pocket.

“Right. So, we don’t have a weapon anymore.” I sent Ricky a dirty look.

“Yeah, we’ve got weapons. Might not be one of those metal things, but they’re good enough for men like him.” Jake stated while he looks at Pete.

“Leave him alone! What’s he done wrong?” Rose asked, her voice rising shrilly.

“Oh, you know - just laid a trap that’s wiped out the Government. And left Lumic in charge.” Jake told her.

“If I was part of all that, do you think I’d leave my wife inside?” Pete asked him.

“Maybe your plan went wrong. Still gives us the right to execute you, though.” Ricky said. I leaned forward and slapped Ricky on the back of the head. “Ow!” He glared at me.

“What the bloody hell did you do that for?!”

“Don’t you dare say that to my father!” I yelled at him causing everyone to stare at me. “That was my mother in there, you bastard. I swear to God if you try to lay a single finger on him I’ll kill you myself.”

“Jessamine, you’ll do no such thing.” I snapped my head to Pete.

“Dad, you can’t let them talk to you like that.” Pete raised his hand silencing me. He took one of my hands in his and gave it a few pats.

“It’ll be all right, my little star.” I gave him a weak smile. “Okay?” I nodded and he kissed my forehead. “That’s a good girl.” I closed my eyes and basked in his affection while I could.

“All the same. . . we have evidence that says Pete Tyler’s been working for Lumic since 2005.” Rose and I stare at Pete, taken aback.

“Is that true?” Rose asked him. Pete looks at us uncomfortable.

“Tell ‘em, Mrs. M.”

“We’ve got a government mole who feeds us information. Lumic’s private files, his South American operations. . .the lot. Secret broadcasts twice a week.” She told us.

“Broadcast from Gemini?” Pete asked them.

“And how do you know that?” Ricky questioned.

“I’m Gemini. That’s ME.” I looked to the Doctor then back to Pete.

“Yeah, well you would say that.” Ricky scoffed.

“Encrypted wavelength six-five-seven using binary nine.” Ricky and Jake glance at one another. “That’s the only reason I was working for Lumic. To get information. I thought I was broadcasting to the Sercurity Services, and what do I get? Scooby Doo and his gang. They’ve even got the van!”

“No, no, no! But the Preachers know what they’re doing. Ricky said he’s London’s Most Wanted!” Mickey said confused.

“Yeah, that’s not exactly . . .” We all turned to Ricky.

“Not exactly what?” Mickey asked him.

“I’m London’s Most Wanted for . . . parking tickets.” I bust out laughing while Mickey stares at him in shock. The Doctor chuckles with me as Rose raises her eyebrows.

“Great.” Pete muttered out.

“They were deliberate! I was fighting the system! Park anywhere, that’s me.” Ricky told us, defensively.

“Good policy. I do much the same. I’m the Doctor, by the way, if anyone’s interested. . .” The Doctor spoke up, obviously liking this.

“And I’m Rose. Hello!” She waved.

“Even better. That’s the name of my dog. Still - at least I’ve got the catering staff on my side.” Pete turns to me. “And my beautiful little girl.” He suddenly furrows his brows. “Where’s John and Harry, Jessamine?”

“They’re still in Scotland. I came down for mum’s birthday.” He stared at me for a few moments.

“You and your mother haven't spoken to each other in years. Not since Jack’s disappearance.” It was a struggle to keep the shock off my face.

“I thought it was time to put the past behind us.” I explained. I look down at my feet. “I realize that it wasn't her fault Jack ran away. He’s his own person and that’s what he wanted. I understand that now but . . .” I trailed off looking back up at Pete. “I guess it’s too late now.” Pete brought me into his arms and held me tight. I let him hold me as I look back to the Doctor, who was watching us.‘How do I know all this?’ I thought to myself.

“They took my wife.” Pete said to the Doctor while he pets my hair.

“She might still be alive.” Rose said, there was a tone of bitterness in her voice.

“That’s even worse. ‘Cos that’s what Lumic does. He takes the living. . .and he turns them into those machines.” Pete finally released me from his hold.

“Cybermen.” We all turn to the Doctor again. “They’re called Cybermen. And I’d take those ear-pods off, if I were you.” Pete obliges and gives them to the Doctor. “You never know . . . Lumic could be listening.” He disables them with his sonic screwdriver. “But he’s overreached himself. He’s still just a businessman. He’s assassinated the President. All we need to do is get to the City and inform the authorities. Because I promise you - this ends tonight.” Mrs. Moore pulled the van over and we got out. We walked along the street where all the people were marching towards the same destination.

“What the hell. . .?” Jake trailed off.

“What’s going on?” Rose asked.

“It’s the ear-pods. Lumic’s taking control.” The Doctor replied.

“Can’t we just. . .I dunno, take them off?” She reaches up to one man to take his ear-pods out, but the Doctor stops her.

“Don’t! Cause a brainstorm. Human Race - for such an intelligent lot, you aren't half susceptible. Give anyone a chance to take control and you submit. Sometimes I think you like it. Easy life.” I rolled my eyes at the Doctor’s snark.

“Hey.” Jake and Ricky are peering around the corner, crouching. “Come and see.” We quickly join them in looking around the corner. A row of Cybermen march alongside the people under the control of the ear-pods, still heading in the same direction.

“Where they going?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Lumic must have a base of operation.” The Doctor replied.

“Battersea. That’s where he was building his prototypes.” Pete told us.

“Why’s he doing this?” Rose asked him.

“He’s dying. This all started out as a way of life by keeping the brain alive. At any cost.” Was his answer. I bit my bottom lip, this Lumic guy sounded way too much like Voldemort. I turn to the Doctor.

“I’ve seen Cybermen before, haven’t I? That head from Van Statten’s museum.” I said.

“Ah, there are Cybermen in our universe. They started on an ordinary world just like this, then swarmed across the galaxy. This lot are a parallel version, and they’re starting from scratch right here on earth.” The Doctor explained.

“What the hell are you two on about?” My eyes widen in shock at my slip. “Jessamine, what the hell are you talking about? Do you know this man?” I turned to him quickly.

“There’s no time to explain, dad. We need to get out of the City.” The Cybermen were fast-approaching down the street.

“Okay, split up - Mrs. Moore, you look after that bloke. Jake, distract them, go right, I’ll go left, we’ll meet back at Bridge Street. Move.” Ricky runs off in one direction, Jake in the other. Mickey turns to me.

“I’m going with him.” I stare at him like he’s insane. He leans down, pecking me on the lips quickly then follows after Ricky. I stare after him, frozen.

“Jessamine!” I look over my shoulder to find the Doctor holding his hand out to me. “We’ve got to go!” I look at him for a moment before turning back to the direction Mickey and Ricky ran down.

“I’m sorry.” I called back then booked it down the street to catch up with them.

“Jessamine!” I close my eyes at the yells of Pete and the Doctor. I quickly reached the boys.

“Mickey! Ricky!” I shouted to them. They stop and turned back to me shocked.

“Jessa?” They asked in unison. I grinned at them.

“That’s me, come on.” I waved at them to follow after me. We soon came to a fork in the road and halted.

“Which way? I don’t know where we are.” Micky panted out.

“Did they see us?” Ricky asked.

“Do they know where we are?” Mickey questioned.

“I think they saw us. I bet they can see in the dark —”

“I bet they got satellites —”

“I bet they saw us in the dark —” I rolled my eyes.

“You said that already.” I mumbled, only to be ignored by them.

“They know where we are.” They said in unison again then looked at each other.

“I don’t get it. What is it with you? You are exactly like me.” Ricky said to Mickey.

“I dunno. I reckon you’re braver.” I throw my hands up in exasperation as they continued to ignore me. I snapped my head up when I hear the sound of marching feet.

“Boys, this touching moment is gonna have to wait until later.” I told them. We turned around and see Cybermen approaching.

“Split up!” The boys exclaim and dash off in opposite directions. Before I could follow I was hit with a name. I held my head for a moment as the pain passed then look back up.

“Ricky.” I whispered then quickly ran after him. I caught up with him and stop him..

“Jessa, what are you doing.” I panted for a few seconds.

“Ricky, whatever happens you keep running. Don’t stop just get back to the other’s, do you understand?” I told him. He looked at me confused.

“Jessa, I don’t . . . .” I pushed him towards the exit.

“I’ll cover you. Get to Micky and run! Don’t stop, don’t look back.” He stares at me. “Go!” I yelled. Ricky nods and books it. I watch him for a moment then turn to the Cybermen behind me. I stood my ground. They stopped before me and surrounded me. “Hello.” They raised their hands at me.

“You will be deleted.” I sighed and nodded my head.

“I thought that.” I bring out my wand and pointed it at them. “But if I going down then I’m taking some of you with me.”

“Delete!”

“Bombarda!” The spell went flying from my wand and hits one of the Cybermen causing it to explode into piece. “Holy crap.” I whispered in shock. The others charge at me and it’s an intense battle of dodging and sending out spells. I ducked between two Cybermen only to crash into another. The three place a hand on me and each one electrocuting me. I let out a loud pained scream before collapsing to the floor and my world went black.

JTDW

Doctor Pov

I paced around as we waited for Jake, Mickey, Ricky, and Jessamine to show up. I look up as running footsteps come towards us.

“I ran past the river. You should’ve seen it, the whole City’s on the watch. Hundreds of Cybermen all down the Thames.” Jake tells us. Suddenly, Mickey and Ricky are running down the streets towards us. I moved towards them.

“Where’s Jessamine?” I asked them as they come to a stop in front of us. They don’t reply. “Where is Jessamine?” I asked them again. Mickey looked away while Ricky stared at the ground. “Where is she!” I yelled at them.

“She’s gone!” Ricky yelled back. I stared at him in shock. He shook his head. “She’s gone.”

“No.” I whispered.

“She distracted the Cybermen so we could get away.” Mickey told us. “I’m sorry, Doctor. She didn't give us a choice.” Mickey walked over to Rose. “God, Rose I’m so sorry.” Rose began to cry and Mickey took her into his arms. “I’m so sorry.”

“My daughter’s dead?” We all turn to Pete. His eyes are red and shining with tears. “She’s gone?” I watch him for a moment. He looked around at all of us, tears rolling down his cheeks. “She can’t be gone. She’s got a son, she’s needs to be there for him.”

“She is.” Pete looked over to me, confused.

“What?” I walked over to him.

“Your Jessamine is with her family. The one that was with us, that’s our Jessamine.” Pete stared at me.

“Oh thank God.” Mickey suddenly whispered suddenly as he walked passed me. “Jessamine! Oh, God. Your all right.” We all spin around in shock as Jessamine jogged towards us. Mickey takes her into a tight embrace. “I thought you were dead.”

“I’m okay. I’m okay.” She repeated to him. She looked over to me. “I’m fine.” Mickey let go over and she raced over to me and held me tight. I return the embrace with vigour. “I’m sorry, Doctor. I’m so sorry.” She whispered to me.

“We’ll talk about it later. I’m just glad your back.” I told her. We released each other and turned to the others. “Come on, let’s go.” We began to walk up a slope which overlooks the river. “The whole of London’s been sealed off, and the entire population’s been taken inside that place. To be ‘converted’.”

“We’ve gotta get in there and shut it down.” Rose said.

“How do we do that?” Mickey asked.

“Oh, I’ll think of something.” The Doctor replied.

“You’re just making this up as you go along!” Mickey cried out indignantly.

“Yuuuup. But I do it brilliantly.” I replied causing Jessamine to burst into laughter and Rose and Mickey nodded in agreement.

“We should get somewhere safe so we can plan.” Jessamine said. We all nodded and headed to a empty building.

JTDW

Jessa Pov

Mrs. Moore took her laptop out and pulled up a 3D model on the screen.

“That’s a schematic of the old factory. Look, cooling tunnels . . . underneath the plant . . . big enough to walk through.” We all crowd around the bench.

“We go under there and up into the control centre?” The Doctor indicated to the screen.

“Hmm.”

“There’s another way in.” Everyone looks towards Pete. “Through the front door. If they’ve taken Jackie for upgrading, that’s how she’ll get in. . .”

“We can’t just go strolling up.” Jake said.

“Or, we could. . .with these. . .” Mrs. Moore takes some ear-pods from her bag. The Doctor takes one. “Fake ear-pods. Dead. No signal. But put them on, the Cybermen would mistake you for one of the crowd.”

“Then that’s my job.” Pete said.

“You’d have to show NO emotion. None at all. ANY sign of emotion would give you away.” The Doctor told him. I look towards Mrs. Moore.

“How many of those have you got?” I asked her.

“Just three sets.” She told me.

“Okay. If that’s the best way of finding Jackie . . . I’m coming with you.” Rose gets up and stands next to Pete.

“Why does she matter to YOU?” Pete asked her confused. I sighed and stood up as well.

“There’s no time for this. Doctor, we’ll be going with him, and that’s it.” I told him.

“No stopping you, is there?” He stared at us.

“Nope.” Rose answered. He chucked two of the ear-pods towards us.

“Tell you what . . . we can take the ear-pods at the same time. Give people their minds back. So they don’t walk into that place sheep.” The Doctor turned towards Jake, Mickey, and Ricky. “Lumic’s transmitting the control signal, and it must be from over there. . .” He points the sonic screwdriver in that general direction. It bleeps. “There it is . . . on the zeppelin, see? Great big transmitter. Good thing Lumic likes showing off. Reckon you could take it out?”

“Consider it done.” The boys smiled at him, pleased. The Doctor pats Mickey on the shoulder and comes back to us.

“Mrs. Moore . . . would you care to accompany me into the cooling tunnels?” The Doctor asked her.

“How could I refuse an offer of cooling tunnels?” She questioned.

“We attack on three sides - above - between - below. We get to the control centre, we stop the conversion machines.” The Doctor said as he took his glasses off.

“All right, let’s do this.” Ricky claps his hands and begins to walk away with Jake following right behind him. Mickey begins to go after them.

“Mickey?” I called after him. He turns back to me. “Good luck.”

“Yeah. You too.” I nodded and turn back to the Doctor. “Jessa.” I turn back to Mickey. “I’ll see you later.”

“You better.” I told him with a bright smile.

“If we survive this, I’ll see you back at the TARDIS.” The Doctor smiles to Mickey too. Micky nods.

“That’s a promise.” Mickey walks away again this time with a smile on his face. The Doctor walks over to me and envelope me into a tight hug. I grin up at him.

“Good luck.” He tells me. I nod.

“You too.” I place a quick kiss to his cheek. “I’ll see you soon.”

“See you soon.” I quickly go after Rose and Pete while putting in the ear-pods. We crouched out of the sight of the marching Cybermen.

“Just put them on. Don’t show any emotion. No signs, nothing. Okay?” Pete said referring to the ear-pods.

“Don’t worry. We can do it.” Rose told him.

“Chamber seven now open for human upgrading.”

“We could die in here. Why are you doing this?” Pete asked her. She glances at me then back to Pete.

“Let’s just say I’m doing it for my family. Right, let’s go.” We come out of our hiding spot and join the line of people filing into the building for upgrading.

“Chamber eight now open for human upgrading. Chamber nine now open for human upgrading. Chamber ten now open for human upgrading. Chamber eleven now open for human upgrading.” We file after the other humans, in line, not a flicker of emotion on our faces. We file along inside the factory. “Units upgrading now five-thousand-five-hundred. Repeat: six-thousand-five hundred and rising.” We walk along, emotionless, along with hordes of others. A Cybermen steps out in front of Rose and stops her from going any further. “You will wait.” It moves on.

“Are you okay?” Pete asked her.

“No.” She replied, frightened. My fingers twitch slightly at her tone wanting to comfort her.

“Chamber Six now open for human upgrading.” The people file forward, ready to be upgraded. Flames align themselves above incinerators. “All reject stock will be incinerated.” I hold back my flinches as the screams of fear and pain get louder and louder.

“Any sign of Jackie?” Pete asked us. A Cybermen turns at the sound of his voice. Causing us all to freeze. The Cybermen considers Pete and stomps over to him.

“You are Peter Tyler. Confirm: you are Peter Tyler.”

“Confirmed.” He answered, uncertain.

“I recognise you. I went first. My name was Jacqueline Tyler.” I bite my lip and close my eyes in despair.

“No!” Rose shouted before she can stops herself.

“WHAT?!” Pete screams. I let out a groan as Cybermen begin to surround us. I was so not ready for another deletion.

“They are unprogrammed. Restrain.”

“You’re lying. You’re not her! You’re not my Jackie!” Several Cybermen step forwards, ready to restrain us. Pete lunges forwards to the Cybermen who was Jackie.

“No. I am Cyber-form. Once I was Jacqueline Tyler.” I grab Pete’s arm trying to get him away from them.

“Dad.” He rips his arm out of my grip.

“You aren’t my daughter.” He growls out at me. I take a step back in surprise.

“But you CAN’T be . . . not her . . .!” Rose mumbled out, horrified.

“Her brain is inside this body.”

“Jacks, I came to save you.” Pete told it.

“This man worked with Cybus Industries to create our species. He will be rewarded by force. Take them to Cyber Control.” The Jackie-Cyberman stomps away. We’re grabbed from behind and marched away.

“They killed her . . . they just took her and killed her!” Rose exclaimed.

“Maybe there’s a chance, I dunno. Maybe we can reverse it.” Pete said. I shook my head.

“There’s nothing we can do.” I told him.

“But if . . . if she remembers . . .” Pete and Rose turn and strain to see Jackie. “Where is she? Which one was it? Which one was her?”

“They all look the same!” We’re shoved roughly forwards again. The Cybermen take us to some type of control in the factory. I turn my head to the other doorway as the Doctor’s voice floated into the room.

“I’ve been captured, but don’t worry - Jessamine, Rose, and Pete are still out there, they can rescue me —” The Doctor trailed off when he spotted us. “Oh well, never mind.” He looks directly at me. “You okay.” I just nod my head in answer.

“They got Jackie.” Rose told him, her voice slightly stuffy.

“We were too late. Lumic killed her.” Pete said.

“Then where is he? The famous Mr. Lumic? Don’t we get the chance to meet our Lord and Master?” The Doctor said raising his voice and looking around the room.

“He has been upgraded.” A Cyberman answered.

“So he’s just like you?” The Doctor asked them.

“He is superior. The Lumic Unit has been designated Cyber Controller.” We all turn as sliding doors open behind us. An a giant Cyberman in a wheel chair is rolling through them.

“This is The Age of Steel and I am its Creator.” It told us. We glance around as we start to hear screaming.

“That’s my friends at work. Good boys! Mr. Lumic, I think that’s a vote for free will.” The Doctor winks.

“I have factories waiting on seven contents. If the ear-pods have failed, then Cybermen will take humanity by force. London has fallen. So shall the world.” Lumic replied. “I will bring peace to the world. Everlasting peace - and unity - and uniformity.”

“And imagination? What about that? The one thing that lead you here. Imagination - you’re killing it, dead!” The Doctor explained to him.

“What is your name?” Lumic asked.

“I’m the Doctor.” He told him.

“A redundant title. Doctors need not exist. Cybermen never sicken.” The Doctor steps forwards in his enthusiasm.

“Yeah, but that’s it! That’s exactly the point!” The Doctor looks at Lumic, despairingly. “Oh, Lumic, you’re a clever man . . . I’d call you a genius, except I’m in the room. But everything you’ve invented, you did to fight your sickness. And that’s brilliant. That is SO human. But once you get rid of sickness and mortality, then what’s there to strive for? Eh The Cybermen won’t advance. You’ll just stop! You’ll stay like this forever. A metal Earth with metal men and metal thoughts. Lacking the one thing that makes this planet so ALIVE. PEOPLE. Ordinary, stupid, brilliant people.”

“You are proud of your emotions?”

“Oh, yes.” The Doctor nodded his head.

“Then tell me, Doctor - have you known grief - an rage - and pain?” Lumic asked.

“Yes. Yes, I have.” I gently took the Doctor’s hand in mine and gave it a soft squeeze.

“And they hurt?”

“Oh yes.” The Doctor returned the squeeze.

“I could set you free. Would you not want that? A life without pain?”

“You might as well kill me.” The Doctor replied.

“Then I take that option.”

“It’s not yours to take. You’re a CYBER controller. You don’t control me or anything with blood in its heart.” The Doctor explained.

“You have no means of stopping me. I have an army. A species of my own.” I roll my eyes while the Doctor faceplams in exasperation.

“You just don’t get it, do you? An army’s NOTHING. ‘Cos those ordinary people - they’re the key.” The Doctor glances at the security camera. “The most ordinary person could change the world.” I look at the Doctor then to the camera and smile.

“Some ordinary man or woman . . . some idiot . . .” I said as the Doctor wraps an arm around my waist.

“All it takes is for him to find, say, the right numbers . . . say, the right codes . . . say, for for example, the code behind the emotional inhibitor. The code right in front of him. ‘Cos even an idiot knows how to use computers these days.”

“An idiot that knows how to get past firewalls and passwords . . . knows how to find something encrypted in the Lumic Family Database, under . . . what was it, Pete? Binary what?” I called to him.

“Binary 9.” He replied, loudly.

“An IDIOT could find that code. The cancellation code. And he’d keep on typing. Keep on fighting.” The Doctor looks meaningful into the camera. “Anything to save his friends. . .”

“Your words are irrelevant.” The Doctor grins at Lumic.

“Talk too much, that’s my problem. Lucky I got you that cheap tariff, Jessamine. For all our long chats. On your PHONE.” He sends another meaningful glance at the camera and does the ‘phone’ sign.

“You will be deleted.” I snorted as I rolled my eyes.

“Yes, delete, control, hash, all those lovely buttons.” I said to the Doctor. He grins at me.

“Then of course, my particular favourite - SEND.” I gave a light chuckle. “And let’s not forget how you seduced all those ordinary people in the first place.” My phone beeps. “By making every bit of technology compatible with everything else. . .” The Doctor walks over to a particular computer.

“It’s for you.” I told him and chuck my phone to him.

“Like this.” He shoves it into a port. Then all hell breaks loose and Cybermen clutch onto their heads, moaning. The code flashes on every single computer screen. I let out a groan as my head begins to pound in pain. “I’m sorry.” I heard the Doctor whisper.

“What have you done?” Lumic demanded, furiously.

“I gave them back their souls. They can see what you’ve done, Lumic. And it’s killing them.” The four of us race out of the room. The Doctor toss me my phone as it begins to ring.

“Who’s this?” I asked when I answered it.

“Jessa, can you hear me? Head for the roof!” I turn to the Doctor, Pete, and Rose.

“It’s Mickey. He says to head for the roof.” We ran up a flight of stairs, trying to avoid the explosions and flames. Once we reached the roof we all halted when we spotted a zeppelin coming right towards us. I stared at it for a moment. “Mickey, do you have any idea how to fly that thing?” I asked him.

“Playstation. Just hold on, Jessa. I’m coming to get you.” I motion for the others to start heading towards the zeppelin. Suddenly a rope ladder fell down to the roof.

“You’ve got to be kidding. Rose, Jessamine, get up!” Rose starts to climb up the ladder with me quickly following after her.

“Welcome to Mickey’s Airlines. Please enjoy your flight. Woo!” I began to laugh at the nutter as we cling to the ladder as the zeppelin rises up and away.

“We did it! We did it!” Rose shouted, exultantly. Suddenly the ladder is jerked downwards causing Rose to scream as we nearly fall off. We all look down and saw Lumic hanging onto the bottom rungs. He begins to climb up after us.

“Pete! Take this!” The Doctor shouts down to him and drops something to him. “Use it! Hold the button down! Press it against the rope - just do it!”

“Jackie Tyler - this is for her!” After a few moments the rope finally snaps sending Lumic falling back down to earth.

“NOOOOOOOO!” Pete laughs with delight as Lumic falls into the flames below. We all begin to struggle up the ladder as the zeppelin carries us away to safety. We soon return to the TARDIS and the Doctor goes into the TARDIS while the rest of us stay outside. Pete and Rose walked off a little talking while I stay next to the boys, who where whispering to one another.

“Jessamine?” I look towards the Doctor as he step out of the TARDIS. He jogs over to us. “I’ve only got five minutes of power . . . we’ve gotta go.” I nodded and headed over to Pete and Rose.

“Rose.” She looks over to me. “It’s time to go.” She turns back to Pete.

“The Doctor could show ya. . .”

“Thank you. For everything.” Pete said, softly.

“Dad.” I close my eyes at Rose’s tearful voice.

“Don’t. Just — just don’t.” He begins to walk away. I quickly follow after him.

“Pete!” I called out. He stops and spins around to face me. “Call your daughter, tell her what happen.” He nods in agreement. “And I’m sorry.” He stares at me for a moment.

“Thank you.” Then he leaves. I give a small smile and wander back over to the Doctor.

“Here it is! I found it. Not a crease.” Mickey said as he walked over to us with the Doctor’s suit.

“My suit! Good man! Now then, Jake, Ricky - we’ve gotta run. But one more thing; Mrs. Moore. Her real name is Angela Price. She’s got a husband out there. And children. Find them. Tell them how she died saving the world.” The Doctor told them as he takes his suit. They both nod.

“Yeah, course we will.” Jake answers.

“Off we go, then!” The Doctor, Rose, and I start heading off to the TARDIS.

“Uh. . . thing is, I’m staying.” I freeze in my spot for a moment before slowly turning around to face Mickey.

“You’re doing what?” I asked him.

“It just there’s still work to be done with all those Cybermen still out there.” He replied. I shake my head, my eyes filling with tears.

“You can’t stay, Mickey.” My voice trembles. Mickey lets out a sad sigh and takes a hold of my shoulders.

“Jessa, my gran’s here. She’s still alive. She NEEDS me.” I let out a choke sob.

“What about me? What if I need you? You’re my best friend.” He brings me into his arms.

“Yeah, but Jessa . . . you don’t. It’s just you and him, isn’t it?” I begin to sob into his chest.

“Once we leave, we can’t come back, Mickey. Please, come home.” I told him. He releases me and holds a hand out to the Doctor.

“Doctor.” They shake hands.

“Take Jessamine’s phone. It’s got the code. Get it out there. Stop those factories.” Mickey nods. “And good luck. Mickey the Idiot.” The Doctor slaps Mickey on the cheek.

“Watch it!” The Doctor saunters back to the TARDIS and slips inside with Rose. I hand my phone to Mickey and he puts it inside his pocket. “Thanks. We’ve had a laugh though, haven’t we?” I gave a tearful nod. “Seen it all, been there and back . . . who would have thought, me and you off the old estate, flying through the stars.”

“All those years just sitting there . . . imagining what we’d do one day. . .” My voice breaks. “We never did see this.” We embraced again, for the final time.

“I finally understand why you never returned my feelings.” I heard him whisper in my ear.

“Mickey.”

“You knew from the beginning that it would never had work out between us. It’s why you pushed me away.” I pressed my face into his jacket.

“I just wanted you to be happy.” I told him. Mickey chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

“I was just being by your side.” I sobbed again. “Go on, you’ll miss your flight.” I held onto him tighter for a moment before releasing him. I stare up at him.

“Goodbye, Mickey.” I start to walk backwards towards Des.

“Goodbye, Jessa.” I finally reach the threshold and gave Mickey one last final wave before closing the door behind me. I pressed my forehead to the door as we dematerialize.

“Jessa?” I heard Rose call from behind me. I don’t answer her as I hide my tears and silence my sobs.As quickly as we dematerialize we materialize. I open the door to come face to face with mum.

“Jessa, what’s wrong? Why’ve you been crying?” She asked me.

“Mum. . .” I sobbed and collapse into her waiting arms.

“What is it? What’s happened, sweetheart?” I just cling to her tighter as I cry my eyes out. “What’s wrong? Where did you go?”

“Far away. That was . . . far away.” I heard the Doctor answer.

“Where’s Mickey?” Mum asked him.

“He’s gone home.” Mum hugs me back, comfortingly.

“Rose, why don’t you go make your sister a cup of tea to help calm her down. Doctor, could you help me to move Jessa to the couch?” The Doctor and mum helped me to the couch while Rose made us all some tea.

“Mummy?” I hiccuped out. Mum rubs my back in soothing circles as my head lays on her shoulder.

“Yes, sweetheart?” She asked.

“Can you tell us about the first time you met dad?” I asked her.

“Jessa, you know how it goes. You’ve heard it a hundred times from the both your dad and me.” She replied.

“Please, mum?” Mum sighs but nods her head.

“All right. You lot gather around,” Rose comes back in with the cups a tea and hands them out then sits down on mum’s other side. “Now, the day I met your father it was raining and I had forgotten my umbrella. . .”


	9. The Idiot's Lantern

Author note: Hey, guys! I am so sorry I haven’t update in months. I feel so awful about that. I had some really bad writer’s block for Jessa then some of my other characters decided that it was their turn to be written. I just want you guys to know that I will never abandon my stories, I just have so many characters that sometimes I might not work on the ones that are published. I also work full time mostly so I’m pretty busy and I’m just so tired at the end of the day that I just can’t write. So I hope you forgive me and enjoy this new chap!

JPDW

I sighed as sat back at my desk inside the TARDIS, my sketch book sitting in front of me open to a blank page. I stare at it blankly as my hands tighten into fist on top of the desk lying on either side of the book. I had just come back from cleaning and packing Mickey’s flat a few hours ago. Mum had come over to help out an hour in because I kept picking things up and would either start crying or tell a story about that particular object. I leaned my head onto my fist and picked up my pencil then began to sketch. I slam the book close as Mickey’s smiling face began to appear on the page. I groan as I let my head fall into my hands.

“Jessamine?” I turned to the door where the Doctor was standing. He gave me a small smile as he walks towards me.

“What did you put in your hair?” I asked him once he was next to me. He lightly touches his teddy-boy style hair.

“A lot of gel. Do you like it?” I stood up and took his hand in mine giving it a squeeze.

“It’s very nice but not really this century though.” I told him as we walked out of my room

“We’re going to the 50’s to see Elvis.” He replied as he lead me into the wardrobe.

“Really? How exciting.” I try to say as cheerfully as I could. The Doctor’s smile faltered slightly.

“Yeah, it was Rose’s idea.” I just nodded my head as I picked out a blue skirt and white shirt.

“I’ll just get dress and meet you guys out there.” I told him and went back to my room to change. I quickly got dress and put my hair into a high ponytail. Once everything was in it’s place, I headed to the TARDIS’s front doors. When I walked outside my jaw dropped in shock at the sight before me.

“Where in the world did you keep that thing?” I asked the Doctor as I walked towards the powder blue moped. The Doctor hands me a blue helmet.

“You know, I actually have no clue on how it got into the TARDIS.” He told me as I put the helmet on. I gave him a small smile and chuckle as I hop onto the back of the moped. “You goin’ my way, doll?” The Doctor pulled an Elvis-style expression and voice causing me to laugh even more.

“Is there any other way to go, daddy-o?” I asked him with an American accent causing Rose to chuckle as she walked towards us and sat down in the sidecar.

“Straight from the fridge, man!” She replied in her own accent.

“Hey, you speak the lingo!” The Doctor said with delighted as he hands her a pink helmet.

“Mum’s a Cliff Richard fan. We’d watch his movies every Bank Holiday Monday.” I told him and he pulled an ‘I knew it!’ face.

“Ah, Cliff! I knew your mother’d be a Cliff fan.” He starts the moped and we drive down the street.

“Where we off to?” Rose asked over the noise of the engine.

“Ed Sullivan TV Studios, Elvis did ‘Hound Dog’ on one of the shows, there were loads of complaints. Bit of luck, we’ll just catch it.” He explained. I narrowed my brow as I looked around at our surroundings, it seemed a bit Londony to me.

“Isn’t that studio in New York?” I questioned.

“Yep!” He replied happily as a red London bus drives past the end of the street causing the Doctor to stop. Next, we spotted a red post box and Union flag bunting hanging from rooftop to rooftop. The Doctor looks at it bemused while Rose and I laugh.

“Digging that New York vibe!” She exclaimed between bouts of chuckles.

“Well. . .this COULD still be New York, I mean this looks very New York to me. . .sort of. . . Londony New York, mind. . .” The Doctor trailed off.

“What are all the flags for?” I asked at the noticeable amount of Union flag hanging around.

“I don’t know.” The Doctor answered as he pulls the moped over and parks it. “Let’s go find out.” He holds a hand out to me and we walked down the street.

“There you go, sir, all wired up for the great occasion.” We paused at the man’s voice. The Doctor turns back to the man.

“The great occasion? What d’you mean?” He asked the man.

“Where’ve you been living, out in the Colonies? Coronation, of course.” The man answered.

“What Coronation’s that, then?” The Doctor questioned next, still confused.

“What d’you mean? THE Coronation.” The man replied bemused. The Doctor looks at him blank then turns to me for help.

“The Queen’s.” I told him but he still looked at me, blankly. “Queen Elizabeth?”

“Oh!” It finally clicks. “Oh is this 1953?”

“Last time I looked. Time for a lovely bit of pomp and circumstance, what we do best.” The man said. I look up at the chimneys along with Rose.

“Look at all the TV aerials. . . looks like everyone’s got one. That’s weird, our nan said tellies were so rare they all had to pile into one house.” Rose said perplexed.

“Not round here, love. Magpie’s Marvellous Tellies, only five quid a box.” The man told us before leaving.

“That’s pretty cheap for this time.” I said to Rose as we follow after the Doctor as he wanders down the street. He suddenly cuts in, all smiles and energy.

“Oh but this is a BRILLIANT year! Classic! Technicolour, Everest climbed, everything off the ration --” He puts on a typically BBC English accent. “The Nation throwing off the shadows of war and looking forward to a happier, brighter future!” We laughed when suddenly a woman began to shout.

“Someone help me, please! Ted!” A man with a blanket over his head is being bundled into a black police car by two suited men. “Leave him alone, it’s my husband!” We ran over to the distraught woman.

“What’s going on?” The Doctor asked as the blanketed man is pushed into the back seat as a young boy runs out of his house.

“Oi, what are you doing?!” The boy shouted. One of the suited men turned to us.

“Police business, now get out of the way, sir!” I turned to the boy.

“Who did they take, do you know him?” I inquired.

“Must be Mr. Gallagher. . .” The car drives off, leaving the now obvious Mrs. Gallagher in despair. “It’s happening all over the place. They’re turning into monsters. . .” I stare at the boy in shock.

“Tommy! Not one word!” We looked to the man yelling at the boy. “Get inside now!”

“Sorry, I’d better do as he says. . .” I narrow my eyes as the boy runs back to his father but with slight fear in his movements. The Doctor puts on his sunglasses again and runs over to the moped and kicks it into life.

“All aboard!” We quickly hop on and we raced after the police car. Rose and I hold on for dear life as the Doctor drives recklessly to catch up with them. We turn around the corner and stop short of a market stall. “Lost ‘em! How’d they get away from us?” He asked bemused.

“Surprised they didn’t turn back and arrest you for reckless driving, have you actually PASSED your test?!” Rose exclaimed as she unclenches her hands from the tight grip of the seat.

“Men in black? Vanishing police cars? This is Churchill’s England, not Stalin’s Russia!” The Doctor said not listening.

“Monsters,” I tilted my head thoughtfully, “that boy said. . .” The Doctor turned to me. “Maybe we should go and ask the neighbours.”

“That's what I like about you. The domestic approach.” He said sweetly which I glared at.

“Was that an insult, Doctor?” But he starts the moped and we’re off again, the Doctor ignoring my questioned. I sent my glare towards Rose when I heard her snickering and she quickly quieted. We soon stop in front of Tommy’s house and we walk up the stair. The Doctor rings the bell. The angry man from before opens the door and he was greeted by us, as well as, the Doctor’s and Rose’s identical cheesy grins.

“Hiiiiii!” They said in a quite frankly adorable and annoying chorus while I simply give the man a blank look. This man reminded me too much of Vernon. He regards us with suspiciously while Tommy lurks in the background.

“Who are you, then?” He asked.

“Let’s see then, judging by the look of you - family man, nice house, decent wage, fought in the war - therefore, I represent Queen and country!” The Doctor pulls out the psychic paper and holds it up with a flourish. “Just doing a little check of Her Majesty’s forthcoming subjects for the great day. Don’t mind if I come in? Nah, didn’t think you did, thank you!” The Doctor barges past the man before he could protest with Rose and I quickly following after him. We all filed into the living room.

“Not bad, very nice! Very well kept! I’d like to congratulate you, Mrs . . .?” The Doctor asked the woman.

“Connolly.” She answered timidly.

“Now then Rita, I can handle this. This gentleman’s a proper representative!” I look towards the terrified woman and so wanted to reach out and comfort her. “Don’t mind the wife, she rattles on a bit.”

“Well, maybe she should rattle on a bit more.” Both father and son looked at the Doctor in shock. “I’m not convinced you’re doing your patriotic duty.” He glances briefly at the flags around the room, waiting to be put up. “Nice flags. Why are they not flying?”

“There we are Rita, I told you - get them up, Queen and country!” Mr. Connolly told his wife after a nervous paused. I slowly begin to glare at the man, he was much worse than Vernon.

“I’m sorry --” Rita started a bit shakily. The Doctor moves over to Mr. Connolly.

“Get it done! Do it now.” He ordered his wife.

“Hold on a minute --” The Doctor tries to grab Mr. Connolly’s attention.

“Like the gentleman says --”

“Hold on a minute.” The Doctor finally interrupted him. “You’ve got hands, Mr. Connolly. Two big hands! Why is that your wife’s job?”

“It’s housework, innit?” He questioned. I move to stand but the Doctor stopped me quickly.

“And that’s a woman’s job?” The Doctor asked, his eyes narrowed.

“Course it is!” Mr. Connolly exclaimed which caused me to spring from my seat.

“Mr. Connolly, what gender is the Queen?” I asked him with a calm voice as I came to stand in front of the man.

“She’s a female.” Mr. Connolly started to grow increasingly defensive. I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes at him.

“And are you suggesting the Queen does the housework?” I noticed a small smile grow on Tommy’s face and the Doctor’s as I win the confrontation. Mr. Connolly gives into logic after a moment of hesitation. I even noticed that Rita looked a little hearted at her husband’s humiliation.

“No! Not at all!” I look over to the flags still laying about and pick up a string of them. I hand them over to him with an insistent stare.

“Then get busy.” I commanded.

“Right, yes ma’am.” He sets about hanging the flags, feigning enthusiasm. I give a satisfied nod and sat back down next to the Doctor, who gave me a proud smile. “You’ll be proud of us, ma’am! We’ll have Union Jacks left, right, and centre!” Rose suddenly rises, hands on her hips.

“‘Scuse me, Mr. Connolly, hang on a minute! Union Jacks?” Mr. Connolly pauses in his work to look at her.

“Yes, that’s right, isn’t it?” He questioned. I watch on with a small smirk as Rose corrects the man.

“That’s the Union Flag. It’s the Union Jack only when it’s flown at sea.” Tommy’s smile grows into a grin, as Mr. Connolly tries to humble himself.

“Oh. . .oh, I’m sorry, I do apologise!” Rose smiles widely.

“Well, don’t get it wrong again, there’s a good man.” She said then with force. “Now get to it!” Mr. Connolly hastily gets back to work and I raised my hand for a high five which she accepted. We both grin as the Doctor looks at us slightly bewildered.

“Right then! Nice and comfy, at Her Majesty’s leisure!” The Doctor exclaimed. “Union Flag?” He asked us quietly.

“Mum went out with a sailor.” Rose told him.

“Oohohohoo! I bet she did!” He chuckled quietly then turn back to Rita and Tommy. “Anyway, I’m the Doctor, this is Jessa, and her sister Rose, and you are?” He looks at Tommy, who seems surprised to be noticed.

“Tommy.” The Doctor and I shift aside, making a space for Tommy to sit between us.

“Come sit down, Tommy.” I patted the empty spot while the Doctor motions for Rita to take the other chair. We all look at the television.

“Have a look at this. I love telly, don’t you?” The Doctor asked them.

“Yeah, I think it’s brilliant!” Tommy cheered.

“Good man!” We watch the programme, apparently about fossils, silently for a few moments before the Doctor turns around to check on Mr. Connolly. “Keep working Mr. C!” He turns back to Rita, dropping the cheerful act and speaks quietly, so that Mr. Connolly doesn’t hear.

“Now, why don’t you tell us what’s wrong?”

“Did you say you were a doctor?” Rita asked somewhat reluctantly.

“Yes I am.” He answered.

“Can you help her? Oh please, can you help her, Doctor?” She begged him.

“Now then Rita, I don’t think the gentleman needs to know. . .”

“No, the gentleman does!” The Doctor cuts Mr. Connolly off. Rita begins to cry and I rush to her side. I gently take her hands in mine and kneel in front of her.

“Tell us what’s wrong. We can help.” I tell her in a soft voice. Rita’s sobs grow louder and she just shakes her head, helplessly. I give her hands a strong squeeze to get her attention. “Rita, you have to calm down. If you don’t tell us what’s wrong, we can’t help. Come on, come on. . .” But she keeps crying. I look over to the Doctor to see him watching us in concern, a frown on his lips.

“Hold on a minute! Queen and country’s one thing, but this is my house!” My eyes widen as I snapped my head towards Mr. Connolly. He’s looking down at the flags in his hands then chucks them away. The Doctor props his head on his forearm and balled fist, appearing calm but I knew he was restraining himself. Rose was tense, along with Tommy.

“What the -- what the hell am I doing? Now you listen here, Doctor! You may have fancy qualifications, but what goes on under my roof is my business!” I wrapped my arms around Rita, trying to quiet her crying and give her reassurance.

“All the people are being bundled into --” The Doctor started scathingly.

“I am talking!” Mr. Connolly shouted. The Doctor jumps from his seat and enters Mr. Connolly’s space.

“And I’m not listening!” He raises his voice even louder than Mr. Connolly’s. “Now you, Mr. Connolly, are staring into a deep, dark PIT of trouble if you don’t let me help.” The Doctor is literally spitting in Mr. Connolly’s face as he looms over him. Mr. Connolly was clearly shaken as he takes a step back while Tommy and Rita looked scared of him.

“So I’m ordering you - SIR! - to tell me what’s going on!” Mr. Connolly went to something to say but was stopped by the sound of something banging coming directly above them. I watch as Tommy looks around nervously and Rita sighs and shakes her head.

“She won’t stop.” Mr. Connolly said with a degree of fear. The banging continues, getting louder.

“We started hearing stories, all round the place. People who’ve. . .changed. Families keeping it secret ‘cause they were scared. The police started finding out. We don’t know how, no one does. They just. . .turn up, come to the door and take ‘em. Any time of the day or night.” Tommy explained in a slightly shaky voice. The Doctor turns to regard him.

“Show me.” The Doctor told him. Tommy leads us up the stairs and opens the door that the banging sound was coming from. The door creaks open and Tommy peeks around it cautiously.

“Gran? It’s Tommy.” He opens the door wider, allowing the rest of us to see inside the darkened room. “‘S all right Gran, I’ve brought help.” A silhouette moves slowly towards us. Tommy steps a little further inside the room. He turns on the light and the woman turned to us. My eyes widen in shock as I take in the featureless face, it was smoothed over like nothing was ever there. The Doctor moves to the older woman and peers at her blank face.

“Her face is completely gone.” The Doctor mutters with an air of fascination. He takes out his sonic screwdriver and scan it. I moved to stand next to him, uneasy. “Scarcely an electrical impulse left. Almost complete neural shutdown, she’s ticking over, like her brain has been. . .wiped clean.” He puts the sonic screwdriver away, but continues to examine her face.

“What’re we gonna do, Doctor? We can’t even feed her!” I snap my head to the door at the sound of doors being slammed.

“Jessamine?” I heard the Doctor whisper. The front door is suddenly busted in and people start to rush into the house.

“We’ve got company. . .” Rose trailed off as she looked towards the stairway.

“It’s them, they’ve come for her!” Rita cries.

“What was she doing before this happened? Where was she?” I hurriedly asked her. Rita hesitates as the policemen clamber up the stairs.

“Tell us, quickly, think!”

“I can’t think! She doesn’t leave the house! She was just --” Tommy was cut off as a big, burly man and some supporting officers enter the room. The Doctor tries to buy us some time.

“Hold on a minute!” He steps in front of me to speak to the police. “There are three important, brilliant, and complicated reasons why you should listen to me. One, --” Much to my horror and slight amusement, the burly man punches the Doctor in the face, hard.

“Doctor!” I gasped as he collapses to the ground, unconscious. The men take the opportunity to throw a blanket over the woman and usher her to the stairs.

“Hey, wait a minute!” I tried to stopped them, only to be thrown aside.

“Jessa!” Rose shouts as Tommy catches me from falling to the ground.

“Thank you, Tommy. Now, go after them.” Tommy nods his head and quickly follows after his parents and the policemen. I kneel over the Doctor and start to slap him on his cheeks. “Doctor! Doctor, wake up!” I continue to slap him then he suddenly sits up as if nothing happened.

“Ah, hell of a right hook! Have to watch out for that!” He quickly stands and belts down the stairs. Rose and I share an exasperated look then rushed after the Doctor. Just as we’re about to leave the house, I pause at the entrance of the living room, noticing a red, buzzing tendrils of electricity coming out of the television.

“Rose, look.” I pointed to the telly before heading towards it.

“Jessa! Rose! We’re gonna lose them again!” The tendrils absorbed back into the television and I pause to look back at the entrance, torn on going to the Doctor or checking the television. Rose quickly follows after me and helps me turn the telly around to see the red electricity still buzzing along the aerial.

“Magpie Electricals.” I read the large label then turned to Rose, who looked at me confused.

“What does it mean?” She asked. I stand back up as the Connolly’s come back into their living room.

“You!” Mr. Connolly pointed towards us. “Get the hell out of my house!”

“We’re going, we’re done!” Rose exclaimed as we walked towards them.

“It was lovely to meet you, Tommy, Rita.” I shake their hands with a soft smile then glared at Mr. Connolly. “But not you.” I smirked at his face turned pruce, a color I thought only Vernon could turn to. Rose chuckled as she wrapped an arm around mine.

“And only an idiot hands the Union Flag upside-down. Shame on you!” Rose told Mr. Connolly cheerfully and we race out of the house, laughing. I grab Rose’s hand and pulled her down the street in the direction of Magpie’s shop.

“Come on, Rose. We need to have a talk with that telly seller.” I told her as we run down the street.

“I’m gonna break a heel if we keep running!” I chuckled but stopped running. Once we reached the store, I opened the door and let Rose enter first. Magpie looked at us nervously as we come in.

“Oh, I, I’m sorry miss, I’m afraid you’re too late. I was just about to lock the door.” I shut the door, signaling that we’re staying.

“Yeah? Well, we wanna buy a telly.” Rose told him.

“Come back tomorrow. Please.” Magpie pleads.

“You’ll be closed, won’t you?” I questioned as I looked around at the tellys.

“What?” Magpie asked, genuinely confused.

“For the big day? The coronation . . .” Rose prompted.

“Yes, yes, of course. The big day.” He tries to make us go away as we walk closer to him. “I’m sure you’ll find somewhere to watch it. Please go.”

“Seems like half of London’s got a television, since you’re practically giving them away.” I said as I leaned against the counter.

“I have my reasons.” I raised an eyebrow.

“And what are they?” I asked. I cocked my head to the side as one of the televisions turns on and a woman’s face appears.

“Hungry! Hungry!” My eyes narrow with unease at the woman.

“What’s that?” Rose asked as she moved towards the telly.

“It’s just a television. One of these modern programmes. Now, I really do think you should leave! Right now!” Magpie exclaimed. I moved next to Rose.

“Not until you’ve answered our questions. How comes your televisions are so cheap?”

“It’s my patriotic duty. Seems only right that as many folks as possible get to watch the coronation. We may be losing the Empire but we can still be proud! Twenty million people they reckon’ll be watching! Imagine that!” Rose and I smiled, not convinced. “And twenty million people can’t be wrong, eh? So why don’t you get yourself back home and get up, bright and early, for the big day?” I tilted my head to the side, pretending to think.

“Nope! We’re not leaving ‘til we’ve seen everything.” I replied.

“I need to close.” I crossed my arms and leaned into his personal space.

“Mr. Magpie, something’s happening out there. Ordinary people are being struck down and changed, and the only new thing in the house is a television. Your television. What’s going on?” I asked him once more.

“I knew this would happen. I knew I’d be found out.” I looked at him confused at his sudden turn of mood. He walks over to the door and locks it. Dread drops into my stomach like a heavy stone as I move in front of Rose.

“All right, then. So, what’s this all about? What do you get out of this?” I questioned.

“For me? Perhaps some peace.”

“From what?” Rose asked from around me.

“From HER.” He glances over at the television screen. We follow his gaze.

“That’s just a woman on the telly, that’s just a programme.” Rose told him.

“What a pretty little girl.” Rose and I stare at the woman in shock.

“Oh, my God - are you talking to me?” Rose asked her.

“Yes, I’m talking to you, little girl. Unseasonably chilly for the time of year, don’t you think?” I moved closer to the screen while pushing Rose to the door, my uneasy feeling growing stronger.

“What are you?” I asked her.

“I’m the Wire. And I’m hungrrrrrrrrryyyyyy. . . .!” She bares her teeth and a pinkish purplish bolts of electricity shoot out of the screen and encompass’s my face.

“Jessa!” I heard Rose scream. I groan in pain as the electricity starts to suck at my face.

“Go, Rose! Find the Doctor!” I moaned out.

“Just think of that audience tomorrow, my dear. . .” I hear Magpie grunt and the doorbell ring as the door opens and slams shut. “All sitting down to watch the coronation. Twenty million people. Things will never be the same again.”

“You won’t win.” I told him with one last whimper before my world goes dark.

JPDW

Doctor’s pov

Bishop and I stand by the large map near his desk, looking at the pins tracing out where they picked up a faceless person.

“We started finding them about a month ago. Persons left sans visage. Heads just . . . blank.” Bishop said.

“Is there any sort of pattern?” I asked while examining a file from the desk.

“Yes, spreading out from North London. All over the City. Men, women, kids. . .grannies. . .the only REAL lead is there’s been quite a large number in--”

“Florizel Street.” I finished for him. We both look up when someone knocks at the door.

“Found another one, sir. Along with this one.” A policeman said as he drags in Rose with him.

“Let me go! I have to find the Doctor.” She looks behind her. “Leave her alone!” She struggles in the man’s grip.

“Rose?” I questioned confused. “What’s wrong? What happened?” Rose looked at me with wide eyes and tears pouring down her cheeks.

“She told me to run . . . to find you. . .” She cries and rushes towards me once the man let her go.

“What do you mean? What’s going on, Rose?” I asked again then looked up to look for Jessamine but she wasn’t there. Dread began to spread through my veins and my heart starts to race. “Where’s Jessamine, Rose?” Another police officer walks in leading a covered woman in. I noticed the familiar TARDIS blue skirt and white shoes.

“Oh, er, good man, Crabtree.” Bishop said, “Here we are, Doctor. . .” I dropped the file on the table and walks pass Rose as I slowly move towards the covered figure. I didn’t want to believe it, couldn’t believe it. “Take a good look. See what you can deduce.”

Crabtree takes the blanket off the blanket off to reveal Jessamine standing there, her face gone. My eyes widen with horror as I approach her.

“Jessamine.” I breath and I cupped her face, my eyes racing back and forth. Everything was gone, her bright smile, her breathtaking green eyes, her laugh, her mind . . . everything that made her just gone. All that was left was an empty shell.

This couldn’t be happening. I couldn’t lose her. Not again.

“Do you know her?” Bishop asked.

“Know her? She’s. . .” I trailed off, what exactly was Jessamine to me. A companion, a friend, or was she something more? Everyone voices faded into the background, they were meaningless to me. Everything was meaningless. I stared at the blank face in front of me. A few strands of her russet brown hair fell into her face and I brushed them back behind her ear. She would've blushed at the gesture, would’ve gave a shy smile and her eyes would shine a brighter green filled with love and fondness. I adored those actions and now, they were snatched away and it hurt. She was everything to me, a luminous light that shined through the endless darkness that surrounded me. It felt like I couldn’t breathe, I needed her back. She was slowly but surely becoming my life, my entire world.

“They found her in the street, apparently,” Crabtree’s voice managed to cut through the haze I was in, “over at Master Square, with this one leading her. Cause a bloody riot about not leaving her.”

“That’s unusual,” Bishop agreed, “that’s the first one out in the open. Heaven help us if something happens in public tomorrow for the big day, we’ll have Torchwood on our back, make no mistake.” I blink out of my heartbroken gaze as Crabtree’s words hits me.

“They did what?” I asked coldly, interrupting them. I could feel Rose start to become tense next to me as my anger grew. I was going to save her and I was going to make whatever that did this, suffer.

“I’m sorry?”

“They left her where?” I said with forced calm as I turn to Rose. Rose watched me warily.

“Just. . .in the street.” She said in a small voice. “She told me to run, to find you. Pushed me out of the way. But. . .” She looks towards her sister. “I hid in the alley, they tossed her out and. . .”

“In the street.” I breathe heavily. “They left her in the street. They took her face and just chucked her out and left her in the street. And as a result, that makes things. . .simple. Very, very simple. Do you know why?” I take off my glasses and turn to the two men.

“No. . .” Bishop said slowly.

“Because NOW,” I shouted furious, “Detective Inspector Bishop, there is no power on this Earth that can stop me. Rose, take care of Jessamine. Come on!” Without a moment's hesitation, I make for the door. We burst out of the gates into the dawn sunlight.

“The big day dawns. . .” I don’t reply. I move on immediately going to the one person that knows what’s going on. I ring the doorbell to the Connolly’s house once we arrived. Tommy opens the door.

“Tommy, talk to me.” Tommy steps outside the door, closing it behind him. “I need to know exactly what happened inside your house.” Mr. Connolly pulls the door open violently and rounds on Tommy.

“What the blazes do you think you’re doing?” Mr. Connolly asked him roughly causing the boy to jerk back.

“I wanna help, dad.” Tommy told him.

“Mr. Connolly. . .” I said warningly. Nothing and no one was going to get in my way to save Jessamine. Mr. Connolly turns on me.

“Shut your face, you. Whoever you are. We can handle this ourselves.” He turns back to Tommy. I glared at the man, so wishing to punch him in the face. “Listen you, little twerp. You’re hardly out of the bloomin’ cradle, so I don’t expect you to understand. But I’ve got a position to maintain. People round here respect me. It MATTERS what people THINK.”

“Is that why you did it, dad?” Tommy questioned him.

“What d’you mean? Did what?” Mr. Connolly asked taken back.

“You ratted on gran. How else would the police know where to look? Unless some coward told them. . .”

“How DARE you? You think I fought a war just so a mouthy little scum like you could call me a coward?”

“You don’t get it, do you? You fought AGAINST fascism, remember? People telling you how to live, who you could be friends with, who you could fall in love with, who could live and who had to die. Don’t you get it? You were fighting so that little twerps like me could DO what we want. SAY what we want. Now you’ve become just like them. You’ve been informing on everyone, haven’t you? Even gran. ALL to protect your precious reputation.”

“Eddie. . .is that true?” I held back the frustrated sigh that wanted to escape when Rita came out and joined the conversation.

“I did it for US, Rita!” He defended himself, “ She was FILTHY. A filthy, disgusting THING.”

“She’s my mother.” Rita answered shocked. “All the others, you informed on all the people in our street, our friends.”

“I had to.” Mr. Connolly flails slightly. “I did the right thing. . .!”

“The right thing for us. . .or for you, Eddie?” Rita turns to Tommy. “You go, Tommy. You go with the Doctor and do some good. Get away from this house. It’s poison. We had a ruddy monster under this roof, all right, but it weren’t my mother!” She goes back inside, slamming the door on Mr. Connolly face. I turn to Tommy.

“Tommy?” I said softly. Tommy joins us and we walk away down the street, leaving Mr. Connolly alone, locked outside his house. The streets were busy as people for a street party. “Tommy, tell me about that night. The night she changed.”

“She was just watching the telly.” He told me. I stopped as it hits me. I look up at the TV aerials.

“Rose said it and Jessamine . . .” I run a hand through my hair. “She KNEW something was going on, of COURSE she did. The price . . . all these aerials in one little street,” I turned to Tommy and point at the aerials, “how come?”

“Bloke up the road, Mr. Magpie, he’s selling them cheap. . .” Tomy had barely finished his sentence when I booked it down the road. I look back to see Tommy and Bishop in the same spot I left them.

“Come on!” I shouted back. I smashed the glass in Magpie’s door with my fist to gain entry to the shop.

“Hey, you can’t do that--” Bishop protested but I ignore him. I open the door and stride to the counter.

“Shops?” I yelled while pressing the bell on the counter repeatedly. “If you’re here, come out and talk to me! MAGPIE!” I shout to the back of the shop.

“Maybe he’s out.” Tommy suggested.

“Looks like it. . .” I ground out then start to rifle through the drawers behind the counter. I find a device that looks like a cross between a portable radio and TV. “Oh, hello. . .this isn’t right. This is very much not right.” I pick it up and lick it, much to the surprise of Tommy and Bishop. Jessamine would of made a face and laugh at my reaction then would tell me to stop tasting things.

“Tastes like iron. Bakelite.” I place it down on the counter. “Put together with human hands, yes, but the design itself. . .” I scan it with the sonic screwdriver. “Oh, beautiful work. That is so simple.”

“That’s incredible. It’s like a television, but portable. A portable television!” I raise the sonic screwdriver and point it around the room. All of the televisions turn on to static.

“It’s not the only power source in this room. . .” As the screwdriver whirrs, the static gradually fades away and on each screen is a different face, they all looked terrified, mouthing pleas for help.

“Gran?” Tommy looks horrified as he stares at the television with his grandmother’s face on it.

I look at all of the televisions then finally found the one that had Jessamine’s face. She was looking up, almost like she was looking up at me and I down at her. I squinted to read her lips as she said something. ‘Doctor! Be careful!’ She mouthed over and over again. I kneel before the screen, feeling both sad and intense. This trip was to help cheer her up after losing Mickey to the other world. I was finally going to tell her how I felt but now she would never know if I don’t save her.

“I’m on my way.” I whispered to her, running a finger over the screen along her cheek.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Magpie called, entering from the back of the shop. I rounded on his, thunderous.

“I want my love restored and I think that’s beyond a little backstreet electrician so tell me, who’s really in charge here?” Magpie flinches back from my anger.

“Yoohoo! I think that must be me.” A woman appears on one of the screens. I turned to her, surprised. “Ooh, this one’s smart as paint.” I slowly approach the television.

“Is she talking to us?” Bishop asked.

“Sorry gentlemen, I’m . . . I’m afraid you’ve brought this on yourselves. May I introduce you to my new. . .friend.”

“Jolly nice to meet you.”

“Oh my God, it’s her, that woman off the telly.”

“No, it’s just using her image.” I told him.

“What. . .what are you?” Tommy asked her.

“I’m the Wire, and I will gobble you up, pretty boy. Every last morsel. And when I have feasted, I shall regain the corporeal body, which my fellow-kind denied me.” The screen gradually colorizes.

“Good Lord, colour television!” Bishop exclaimed.

“So you own people tried to stop you?” I questioned her.

“They executed me. But I escaped in this form and fled across the stars.” She explained with a smirk.

“And now you’re trapped in the television.” The smirk fades from the Wire’s face, and with it, the colour from the television.

“Not for much longer.”

“Is this what got my gran?” Tommy asked me.

“Yes, Tommy. It feeds off the electrical activity of the brain, but it gorges itself like a great overfed pig. Taking people’s faces, their essences, it stuffs itself.” I replied.

“And you let her do it, Magpie.” Bishop turns to him.

“I had to! She allowed me my face! She’s promised to release me at the time of manifestation.” Magpie cried.

“What does that mean?”

“The appointed time, my crowning glory.” The Wire hints at the meaning.

“Doctorm the coronation!”

“For the first time in history, millions gathered around a television set,” I walk closer to her, gloating. “But you’re not strong enough yet, are you? You can’t do it all from here. That’s why you need this!” I produce the portable television. “You need something more powerful! This will turn a big transmitter into a big receiver.”

“What a clever thing you are! But why fret about it? Why not just relax? Kick off your shoes and enjoy the coronation. Believe me, you’ll be glues to the screen.” Lines of red sparking light suddenly shoots out and pulls at Tommy’s, Bishop’s, and mine faces.

“Doctor!” Tommy and Bishop yell in distress.

“Hungry! Hungry! The Wire is hungry! Ah! This one is tasty. Oh! I’ll have lashings of him! Delicious! Ah!” I slowly pull out the sonic screwdriver, pulling it up towards my face with effort. “Armed! He’s armed and clever! Withdraw! Withdraw!” She severs the connection between herself and us, the three of us fall to the floor, unconscious. I groan as I come to and jerk back in shock when I came face to face with the faceless Inspector.

“Tommy, wake up! Tommy! Come on!” I shaked the boy’s shoulder.

“What happened?” He asked. I look around the shop.

“Where’s Magpie?” We both run outside the shop but Magpie is nowhere in sight.

“We don’t even know where to start looking, it’s too late.” Tommy said.

“It’s never too late, as a wise person once said, Kylie I think . . . But the Wire’s got a big plan. . .so it’ll need. . .yes, yes, yes, it’s got to harness half the population. . .millions and millions of people. . .and where are we?” I rambled as I turn back to Tommy.

“Muswell Hill.” He told me.

“Muswell Hill, Muswell Hill! Which means. . .” I look around until I spot a large building on the horizon and gestured to it with both hands. “Alexandra place, biggest TV transmitter in North London! Ohh! That’s why they chose this place! Tommy?”

“What are you going to do?” He asked.

“We’re going shopping.” I dashed back inside the shop. Tommy and I start gathering equipment. Tommy holds up a device.

“Is this what you want?” He questioned.

“Perfect! Right, I need one more thing.” I give the equipment to Tommy. We run out to the streets, our arms loaded with equipment as we head to the TARDIS. Tommy stays outside as I got the item I needed from the TARDIS. “Got it, let’s go.”

We run down the street while I plug in a device into the huge equipment bank that Tommy is carrying. We’re just outside Alexandra Place when Tommy points up to the pylon.

“There!” I look up and saw Magpie slowly climbing up the pylon.

“Come on!” We run down an alleyway going pass a officer.

“Woah, woah, woah! Where do you think--” I hold up the psychic paper quickly as we run pass. “Oh! I’m sorry sir! Shouldn’t you be at the coronation?”

“They’re saving me a seat.” I shouted back to the man.

“Who did he think you were?” Tommy asked as we rounded a corner. I look at the psychic paper.

“King of Belgium, apparently.” We quickly entered the control room and I began to build a machine that would help us defeat the wire.

“Keep it switched on. Don’t let anyone stop you, Tommy. Everything depends on it. You understand?” Tommy nods. I sprint out of the room and back around the corner, pasting the confused official again. A trailing stream of magnetic recording tape behind me from a reel around my waist. I run up the metal stairs and begin to climb up the transmitter, following Magpie.

“You’ll get yourself killed up there! Your Majesty!” I quickly climb up the transmitter to catch up with Magpie.

“I shall consume you. . .Doctor.” I cry out as I’m blasted in the face with a red light.

“I won’t let you do this, Magpie!” I shouted up to him.

“Help me Doctor! It burns! It took my face, my soul!” Magpie cries.

“You cannot stop the Wire. Soon I shall become manifest.” I’m blasted with another beam of light.

“No more of this! You promised me peace!” Magpie begged the Wire.

“And peace you shall have.” Magpie yells in pain as he’s blown into thousands of particles with the red light. The Wire laughs as Magpie disappears. I try to touch the portable TV but was zapped by the red sparks.

“Been burning the candle at both ends? You’ve overextended yourself missus. You shouldn’t have had a crack at poor old Magpie there.” I pick up the TV as I’m zapped in the foot. “Rubber souls! Swear by them!” I inserts a switch into the TV, but nothing happens.

“Oh dear! Has our little plan gone horribly wrong, Doctor?” The Wire laughs at I stare down at the box, horrified. This wasn’t supposed to happen, it was supposed to work. ‘I failed.’ I thought before the light beams began to retreat from the pylons and into the portable television. She writhes and wails with pain.

“It’s closed down, I’m afraid and no epilogue.” I told the Wire. With one last piercing shriek from the Wire, the television switches off.

JPDW

Jessa’s pov

I let out a loud gasp of breath and took a deep breath in before raising my hands to touch my face.

“Jessa?” I turned to the voice and found Rose staring at me with wide eyes, her bottom lip trembling.

“Rose.” I shot out of the chair I was sitting in and brought my little sister into my arms. I held onto her tight as she cried into my shoulder.

“It’s okay, I’m okay. I’m here, Rosie. I’m here.” I buried my face into her hair and took a deep breath, her shampoo and perfume calming me.

“Jessie, I-I thought. . .” She hiccups as she pulls back, her eyes red and swollen. I give her a soft chuckle and wiped her tears away. “I thought I lost you.”

“You will never lose me, Rose. Never.” I told her as we hug again. We look up as a group of people walked through the office. We followed them outside and watched as they greeted loved ones. I looked around the crowd for the Doctor when someone taps my shoulder. I spunned around to come face to face with him.

“Doctor!” I exclaimed with joy and throw my arms around his next.

“Jessamine!” He twirls us around in a big circle. I cling to him, grinning widely and bury my face into his shoulder. “It’s good to have you back.” He whispered in my ear.

“It’s good to be back.” I whispered back and tighten my grip. We held onto each other for a few more minutes before letting each other go.

“Let’s go celebrate.” The Doctor chuckles as he takes my hand and we walk down the road. People were dancing and talking as they passed out drinks and snacks.

“We could go down the mall, join in with the crowd.” Rose offered. The Doctor leans towards the table and grabs a Victoria sponge.

“Nah, that’s just pomp and circumstance. This is history right here.” He takes a bite out of the cake before offering it to me.

“The domestic approach?” I asked with a raised eyebrow before taking a bite from the cake.

“Exactly.” He replied, his cheeks slightly flushed causing Rose to laugh.

“Will it. . .that thing. . .is it trapped for good, on video?” She asked.

“Hope so. Just to be on the safe side though, I’ll use my unrivaled knowledge of trans temporal extirpation methods to neutralise the residual electronic pattern.” I snorted in laughter as Rose looked at him confused.

“You what?”

“He’s going to tape over it.” I told her.

“Just leave it to me, I’m always doing that.” She laughed. I nudge the Doctor’s side and point over to Tommy once I had his attention. We walk over to him and sit on either side of him.

“Tell you what Tommy, you can have the scooter. Little present.” I raised an eyebrow and cross my arms at the Doctor. “Uh, best. . .um. . .keep it in the garage for a few years though, eh?” The Doctor quickly corrected himself.

“Good riddance.” Tommy said as he stares over the Doctor’s shoulder. We all look behind us to see Mr. Connolly walking down the street with a small case.

“Is that it then, Tommy? New monarch, new age, new world, no room for a man like Eddie Connelly.” The Doctor asked him with a serious expression.

“That’s right. He deserves it.” I glanced at Tommy then towards the retreating back of his father, sensing the hint of unconditional love underneath his harsh words.

“Tommy,” He turns to me and I gave his a soft smile, “go after him.”

“What for?” He asked confused.

“He’s your dad.” Tommy frowns and looks back towards him.

“He’s an idiot.” I chuckled at that and placed a hand under his chin to make him face me again.

“That he is, Tommy.” I brush his hair to the side. “But you’re clever. Clever enough to save the world. Don’t you think he could use a little saving too?” I smile and gave him a nudge. Tommy wraps his arms around my waist, shocking me.

“Thank you.” He whispered then let's go to run after his dad. The Doctor stood up and wrapped an arm around my waist as we watched them walk side by side. Tommy takes his dad’s bag as they continue to walk down the street. I watch them fondly, thinking about John and Harry before glass of orange juice appears in front of my face. I take the glass and turned to the Doctor. He holds out his glass and we clinked our glasses together, smiling.

JPDW

“Is something wrong?” I asked the Doctor once we were back in the TARDIS. Rose had gone straight to her room to change and rest. The Doctor stood by console with his hands in his pockets. I moved over to him and placed a hand on his arm. “Doctor?” He turned to me and took a hold of my hand.

“I thought I was going to lose you today and that. . .I couldn’t live with myself if I never got to tell you.” He said softly. I furrow my brow in confusion.

“Tell me what, Doctor?” He stares at me for a moment before cupping my cheek.

“I love you.” My eyes widen in shock as he leans in and places a soft kiss to my lips. I let out a sigh as my eyes flutter close and enjoyed the sweet kiss. When he pulled back, he pressed his forehead against mine and I opened my eyes to look at him, a light blush on my cheeks. I gave him a shy smile as we gaze into each other eyes.

“I love you too.” I whispered back. The Doctor eyes shined bright with joy and pulled me into his arms. I laughed as he pressed a few kiss to my face before snuggling his face into my neck and holds me tight. I just smiled and press a kiss to his temple, so happy that he reciprocated my love for him.


	10. The Impossible Planet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: Hey, guys! I’m sorry I haven’t updated Jessa for awhile. I’ve been really focused on Flora’s story for the last year or so. But I will continue to work on Jessa, it’ll just won’t be as much as Flora. And I’ve decided to rewrite Jessa’s story in Third Person Point of View. So, after this chapter it will be 3rd pov from now on and I will rewrite the other chapters in that view. So I hope you like this chapter!

The Doctor and I break apart when the TARDIS started to make some sickly sounds. The Doctor begins to push buttons and pull levers as he tried to get Des to land.

"Doctor, what's going on? What's the matter with Des?" I questioned as Rose walked into the control room.

"What's happening?" Rose asked as she appears beside me looking at the Doctor in concern. The Doctor opens his mouth to answer when the TARDIS suddenly materialises. The Doctor looks at me in confusion before heading out of Des with Rose and I following after him but I paused in the doorway.

"I dunno what's wrong with her, she's sort of . . . queasy. Indigestion, like she didn't wanna land." The Doctor finally answered as he looks up at the TARDIS. I glanced around at the small storage room we seemed to be in with a frown, something was wrong and it was beginning to make me feel anxious.

"Oh, if you think there's gonna be trouble, we could always get back inside and go somewhere else. . ." Rose trailed off with a mock serious look. The Doctor and Rose looked at each other before bursting out laughing at the absurd notion. The Doctor turns towards me and slowly stops laughing once he noticed I wasn't joining in.

"Jessamine?" He asked in concern. "What's wrong?"

"Something's wrong, I don't know what but I can feel it. It's really, really wrong." I told him as I looked over his shoulder. "I think we should leave, Doctor." The Doctor bites his lip for a moment before wrapping an arm around my waist.

"How about this? At the first sign of trouble, we'll leave?" I stare at him.

"You promise?" The Doctor presses a kiss to my temple.

"Promise." He told me then looks around the room. "I think we've landed inside a cupboard! Here we go!" He let's go of my waist and pushes the door open and we walk into another part of the room.

" _Open Door 15._ "

"Some sort of base. . .moonbase, sea base, space base . . . they build these things out of kits." The Doctor said as he looks around the hallway.

"Glad we're indoors," Rose paused for a moment to listen to the sounds coming from outside the base. "Sounds like a storm out there. . ." I nodded in agreement as I listen to the howling winds.

" _Open Door 16._ " The Doctor opens another door. We follow the Doctor through the door into another corridor, this one slightly bigger.

"Human design, you've got a thing about kits. This place was put together like a flat-pack wardrobe, only bigger. And easier."

" _Open Door 17._ " We go through another door and end up in a canteen.

"Oh, it's a sanctuary base!" The Doctor exclaimed as he strides into the middle of the room.

" _Close Door 17._ " I walk towards the Doctor to stand in the middle with him, needing to stay close to him as I could.

"Deep Space exploration, We've gone way out. And listen to that, underneath. . ." He points downwards, indicating for Rose and I to listen. While Rose looks down, my sight is frozen on the words written upon the wall. "Someone's drilling."

"Welcome to hell." I whispered just loud enough for the Doctor to hear. He looks at me in shock.

"Oh, it's not THAT bad!" I just shake my head and shakily point towards the wall over his shoulder. The Doctor slowly turns around to look at what I was pointing at. The words "WELCOME TO HELL" are scrawled on the wall, along with ancient symbols written underneath. The Doctor stares at it.

"Hold on. . ." He goes over to it with Rose following him. "What does that say?" The Doctor peers closely at the ancient text, but it remains stubbornly incomprehensible. "That's weird. It won't translate."

"But I thought the TARDIS translated everything, writing as well. We should see English." Rose said confused.

"Exactly. If that's not working then it means . . . this writing is old. Very old. Impossibly old." The Doctor stands and goes over to another door. "We should find out who's in charge." He turns the wheel to open the door.

"We've gone beyond the reach of the TARDIS' knowledge. Not a good move. And if someone's lucky enough. . ."

" _Open Door 19._ " The door opens and the three of us gasp in shock, stumbling backwards a few steps. There was some type of alien standing on the opposite side of the door, blinking at us.

"Right!" The Doctor said brightly as he tried to regain his composure. I took a step back from the group of aliens, 'Wrong!' the one word that kept repeating in my head over and over again. "Hello! Sorry! Uh. . .I was just saying, uh. . .nice base!"

"We must feed." The aliens said together, a ball in their hands glowing.

"You're gonna what?" The Doctor questioned.

"We must feed." They repeated.

"Yeah. I think they mean us." Rose answered as we backed away from them as they advance towards us.

"We must feed." We try to make for the other door, but it opens and more of the aliens come through it. "We must feed. We must feed. We must feed." Another door open and more aliens walk slowly through it, soon cornering us. The aliens continue to repeat what their saying as the Doctor takes out his sonic screwdriver, while Rose picks up a chair and I take out my wand. I look down at my hand to see it shaking a bit more then it was earlier and frowned. We're soon backed against the wall by the advancing aliens.

"We must feed." One of the aliens shakes and taps the white orb it's holding. "You. If you are hungry."

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked confused as we lowered our hands.

"We apologise. Electromagnetics have interfered with our speech systems." Rose puts the chair down back at the table. "Would you like some refreshment?"

"Uhm. . ." The Doctor trailed off, perplexed.

" _Open Door 18._ " A door opens and a group of humans come through, holding guns.

"What the hell. . .?" The older man of the group asked in shock. "How did. . .?" He approaches us, staring before lifting his wrist to his mouth. "Captain. . .you're not going to believe this. We've got PEOPLE. Out of nowhere. I mean, real people. I mean three. . .living. . .people. Just standing here, right in front of me." He told whoever was on the other line, sounding absolutely incredulous. The Doctor and I glanced at each other not really understanding what to do or make of this unusual reception.

"Don't be stupid, that's impossible." A man replied back through the communication device.

"I suggest telling THEM that." The man continues to stare at us.

"But you're a sort of space base, you must have visitors now and then. It can't be that impossible." Rose said.

"You're telling me you don't know where you are?" He asked roughly.

"No idea." I told him with a shake of my head.

"It's more fun that way." The Doctor explained with a grin.

"Stand by, everyone. Buckle down. We have incoming. And it's a big one. Quake Point 5 on its way." A young girl says over the PA system. The base starts to quake and tremble causing the man to rush over to the door and opens it.

"Through here! Now. Quickly, come on!" He told us urgently. Sirens sound. We quickly follow after the man through the door with the other two behind us. "Now!" We go through another shaking corridor, smoke rising from the floor. It was complete chaos.

"Move it! Come on!" I grab Rose as she nearly falls over while sparks fly everywhere. "Move it, come on! Quickly!" We hurry down the corridor and find ourselves in a control room, where a few more people were working. Three of the crew members looked up when we walked in. Their mouths dropped open. I watched them warily while the Doctor beams at everyone.

"Oh, my God. You meant it." Said the man sitting in the center of the room.

"People! Look at that! Real people!" A girl around Rose's age exclaimed in shock.

"That's us. Hooray!" The Doctor chuckles.

"Yeah, definitely real." Rose smiled at them. "My name's Rose, Rose Tyler," She motions to me and the Doctor, who waved. "This is my sister, Jessa and the Doctor."

"Come on, they oxygen must be offline. We're hallucinating." A boy strides over to us, peering at us in shock. "They can't be, no. They're real!"

"Come on, we're in the middle of an alert!" The guy in the middle said impatiently. "Danny, strap up, the quake's coming in! Impact in thirty seconds!" The seconds start to count down on a computer screen. "Sorry, you three, whoever you are. Just hold on. Tight."

"Hold on to what?" I asked him.

"Anything. I don't care. Just hold on. Ood, are we fixed?" Rose and I grab onto some railings to hold on to while the Doctor grab onto the railing around me, locking me into place.

"Your kindness in this emergency is much appreciated." The ood replied.

"What's this planet called, anyway?" The Doctor inquired.

"Now, don't be stupid. It hasn't got a name. How could it have a name?" The Doctor and I raise an eyebrow. "You really don't know, do you?"

"And impact!" The entire base begins to shake violently. Everyone is clinging on tight then suddenly just quick as it started, it was over. The Doctor stands and let's go of the railing.

"Oh, well, that wasn't so bad-!" He's thrown backwards as the base shakes even more violently than it did before. I shriek as the violent shakes cause me to lose my grip and fall onto the Doctor. He holds me tight as he grabs something to hold us to. Small explosions and sparks fly around the room while we're tossed about like a bunch of rag-dolls. Then it stops.

"Okay, that's it." The man from before hurries forward with a fire extinguisher. "Everyone all right? Speak to me, Ida?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Called the blonde woman. The man called out to every person except the three of us.

"We're fine, thanks, fine, yeah, don't worry about us." The Doctor snarked as he helped me back to my feet.

"The surface caved in." The computer screen indicated the part of the base that was lost during the quake. "I deflected it onto storage 5 through 8. We've lost them completely. Toby, go and check the rocket link."

"That's not my department." Toby told him.

"Just do as I say, yeah?" Toby grudgingly leaves the room.

"Oxygen holding. Internal gravity 56.6. We should be okay." Ida reported.

"Never mind the earthquake, that's," Rose looks around, "that's one hell of a storm. What is that, a hurricane?"

"You'd need an atmosphere for a hurricane. There's no air out there. It's a complete vacuum." Scooti told her.

"Then what's shaking the roof?" I asked this time.

"You're not joking. You really don't know? Well, introductions. FYI, as they said in the olden days. I'm Ida Scott, science officer." She indicates the man in the middle. "Zachary Cross Flane, acting Captain, sir. You've met Mr. Jefferson, he's head of security. Danny Bartock. Ethics committee."

"Not as boring as it sounds." Danny tells us causing the Doctor and Rose to grin.

"And that man who just left, that was Toby Zed, archaeology, and this," Ida places her hands on Scooti's shoulders, "is Scooti Manista. Trainee maintenance." Scooti smiled and Ida goes over to a set of controls. "And this, this is home." She turns a lever causing a whirring sound.

"Brace yourselves. The sight of it sends some people mad." The room is flooded with a redish light as an overhead window opens, revealing a black hole right above us. My eyes widen in shock as I watched light being sucked into it.

"That's a black hole." Rose said, pointing up to it.

"But that's impossible." The Doctor replied in disbelief.

"I did warn you."

"We're standing under a black hole." I muttered while the Doctor argued with Ida. I shuddered as that wrong feeling comes back even stronger. I turned to the Doctor as the argument finished. "Doctor, we should go." He turned to me.

"Jessamine?" He asked confused.

"You promised at the first sign of trouble, we'd leave." I told him.

"And we will, Jessamine. Let's figure this out first then we'll go." The Doctor replied and turned to Zach. I bit my bottom lip as I looked around the room.

"That's the black hole officially designated K37 Gen 5." The Doctor puts on his glasses as Zach brought up a hologram of the black hole.

"In the scriptures of the Falltino, this planet is called 'Krop tor'. The bitter pill. And the black hole is supposed to be a mighty demon. It was tricked into devouring the planet, only to spit it out. Because it was poison." Ida explained.

"The bitter pill. I like that." Rose smiled and laughed slightly as she turned to me and the Doctor.

"We are so far out." The Doctor sad as he stared at the hologram. Rose frowned when we didn't join in. "Lost in the drift of the universe, how did you even get here?!"

"We flew in. You see," Zach presses another button and the hologram changes to one of the planet with a tunnel coming out of it.

"This planet's generating a gravity field. We don't know how, we've no idea, but it's kept in constant balance against the black hole. And the field extends out there." He gestures to the tunnel. "As a funnel. A distinct gravity funnel, reaching out into clear space. That was our way in."

"You flew down that thing? Like a rollercoaster." Rose chuckled again.

"By rights, the ship should've been torn apart. We lost the Captain," Zach paused for a moment. "Which is what put me in charge."

"You're going a good job." Ida said, consolingly.

"Yeah. Well, needs must."

"But if that gravity funnel closes, there's no way out." Danny informed them.

"We had fun speculating about that." Scooti teased.

"Oh, yeah. That's the word." Danny whacks Scooti on the head with a scroll as he walked past her. "Fun."

"But that field would take phenomenal amounts of power!" The Doctor exclaimed, completely stumped. "I mean not just big, but off the scale! Can I?" He gestures to the controls. I roll my eyes and take a seat on the stairs next to the door. ' _We'll leave my arse.'_  I thought angrily as I plopped my head on a fist.

"Sure. Help yourself." Ida pushes the calculator over to him and leaves him to it. Suddenly an ood appears in front of me.

"Refreshment." I stared at it shocked and confused before slowly taking the drink.

"Thank you." I told it. "What's your name?"

"We have no titles. We are as one." I watched it leave. ' _Their sorta like house-elves.'_  I mused as I take a sip of my drink. ' _Not bad.'_

"There we go." I glance over at the Doctor. "D' you see? To generate that gravity field, and the funnel, you'd need a power source with an inverted self-extrapolating reflex of six to power of six every six seconds."

"Six, six, six?" I whispered feeling slightly nauseated.

"That's a lot of sixes." Rose said, worriedly.

"And it's impossible." The Doctor told us.

"It took us two years to work that out!" Zach exclaimed.

"I'm very good." The Doctor said modestly causing me to snort in amusement.

"But that's why we're here. This power source is ten miles below through solid rock. Point Zero. We're drilling down to try and find it." Ida states.

"It's giving off reading of over ninety stats on the Blazen Scale."

"We could revolutionize modern science." Ida said, enthusiastically.

"We could use it to fuel the Empire." Jefferson put in.

"Or start a war." The Doctor added as he took his glasses off.

"It's buried beneath us. In the darkness, waiting." I raised an eye at the dramatic response from Toby.

"What's your job? Chief dramatist?" Rose sassed causing the Doctor and I to smirk.

"Well, whatever it is down there is not a natural phenomena. And this, er, planet once supported life. Eons ago, before the human race had even learned to walk." He explained.

"I saw that lettering written on the wall. Did you do that?" The Doctor asked him. Toby nods.

"I copied it from fragments we found on earth by the drilling, but I can't translate it."

"No, neither can I. And that's saying something."

"There was some form of civilisation. They buried something. Now it's reaching out. Calling us in." Toby said.

"And you came." The Doctor grins, fondly.

"Well, how could we not?" Ida inquired as Zach turns the hologram off.

"So, when it comes right down to it, why did you come here? Why did you do that? Why? I'll tell you why. Because it was there! Brilliant. Excuse me, ah, Zach, wasn't it?" The Doctor turned to him, still grinning.

"That's me."

"Just stand there, 'cos I'm gonna hug you. Is that all right?" Everyone stares at him.

"I s'pose so." Zach replied.

"Here we go. Coming in." The Doctor edged towards him and throws his arms around Zach and clutches him. "Aah, human beings, you are amazing!"

"Amazingly stupid." They all glanced over at me. The Doctor releases Zach with a small frown. "You lot are completely mad for coming here. There were a bunch of signs that should have made you run. And the three sixes? That's the sign of the Devil!" I rant, tossing my hands in the air.

"But no, you came to look for the demons anyway. Absolutely ridiculous. You should pack your bags and get back in that ship and fly for your lives." I crossed my arms and glared at the floor. I felt angry and annoyed that my warnings were being ignored.

"You can talk! And how the hell did you get here?" Ida asked me but I remained quiet.

"Oh, I've got this um, this, it's hard to explain, it just sort of appears." The Doctor rambled.

"We can show you, we parked down the corridor from um, oh, what's it called? Uh, habitation area," Rose trailed off.

"Three." The Doctor supplied.

"Three." She snaps her fingers as she remembered. "Three.

"Do you mean storage six?" Zach asked suddenly.

"Uh, it was a bit of a cupboard, yeah." My eyes widen in shock as I realized what happened. "Storage six, but you said," It dawns on the Doctor. "You said, you said storage five to eight." Without another word, he turns on his heel and dashes from the room, Rose hot on his tail. I remained seated, already knowing what the outcome would be. I looked back up when they returned and connected glances with the Doctor.

"She's gone, isn't she?" I inquired. He nods and turns to Zach.

"The ground gave way. My TARDIS must've fallen down right into the heart of the planet. But you've got robot drills heading the same way." He said urgently.

"We can't divert the drilling." Zach shrugged him off and began to walk off. The Doctor stares after him then quickly follows.

"But I need my ship. It's all I've got. Literally the only thing." He told him.

"Doctor, we've only got the resources to drill one central shaft down to the power source, and that's it. No diversions, no distractions - no exceptions Your machine is lost. All I can do is offer you a lift if we ever get to leave this place, and that is the end of it." Zach ended the conversation and leaves the control room. Ida approaches the Doctor, who's staring after Zach completely helpless.

"I'll uh, put you on the duty roster. We need someone in the laundry." She follows Zach from the room.

" _Open Door One._ " The Doctor walks over and sits down next to me.  
"I've trapped you here." He said quietly.

"Yeah, you have but don't worry about me. I'm more worried about Rose then myself." I told him, glancing over to my sister who was leaning against the control panel. "Next time," I turned to him to find him watching me. "Listen to me when I say something doesn't feel right."

"Of course." He nods and I sigh before standing up then moved over to settle against the control panel next to Rose.

"You doing okay?" I asked her then the base shakes again. We both grip onto the panel. Rose looks upwards through the window.

"Okay, we're on a planet that shouldn't exist, under a black hole and no way out." I look at her and catches my eye. "Yeah, I'm just peachy." She laughs nervously. I quickly pull her into a tight hug which she returned and glared darkly up at the black hole.

"Let's go get something to eat? They've got to have something good to eat here, yeah?" I grabbed her hand and we walked back to the habitation area three with the Doctor following after us quietly. The Doctor and I sat down while Rose went to check the canteen area out. The Doctor stared at the ancient text with his brow furrowed.

"Careful," He glances at me. "You face might stick if you stare at it any harder." The Doctor snorts and turns his attention back to it as Rose wanders back over with a tray. "Everything all right, Rose?" I asked her as she sits back down.

"Yeah, fine." She answered. Everyone looks up when the lights flicker above them.

"Zach, have we got a problem?" Ida called into her com.

" _No more than usual. Got the Scarlet System burning up, it might be worth a look._ "

"You might wanna see this. Moment in history." Ida pulls a lever which opens the overhead, revealing the black hole and flooded the room with a soft red light. "There. On the edge." She points at a stream of red light that was spiralling into the black hole.

"That red cloud, that used to be the Scarlet System. Home to the Pallushi, a mighty civilisation spanning a billion years disappearing. Forever. Their planets and suns consumed." We gazed up at it, fascinated. The last of the Scarlet System disappeared into the black hole. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have witnessed its passing."

Ida goes to pull the lever to close the shutters again, but the Doctor stops her.

"Er, no, could you leave it open?" He asked her. I looked over to him. "Just for a bit. I won't go mad, I promise."

"How would you know?" Ida questioned but the Doctor smiles. "Scooti, check the lockdown." Scooti nods and leaves. "Jefferson, sign off the airlock seals for me." Jefferson and Ida exit next, leaving the three of us alone.

"I've seen films and things, yeah? They say black holes are like gateways to another universe." Rose said as she turned to the Doctor.

"Not that one. It just eats." He told her.

"Long way from home." We both glance at her. The Doctor points a bit to the right of the dome.

"Go that way, turn right, keep going for um, about five hundred years then you'll reach the Earth." I take my phone out and press a few buttons.  
"No signal." I said in shock. "That's the first time we've gone out of range."

"What would we even tell her?" Rose questioned me then turned to the Doctor. "Can you build another TARDIS?"

"They were grown, not built." I said quickly still staring at my phone, missing the surprised look the Doctor gave me.

"With my own planet gone, we're kind of stuck." The Doctor replied after a moment of silence.

"Well, it could be worse. This lot said they'd give us a lift." Rose said consolingly, trying to keep the tone light.

"And then what?"

"I dunno," Rose sighed. "Find a planet, get a job, live a life, same as the rest of the universe."

"Pfft, I'd have to settle down. In a house or something, a proper house with doors and things. Carpets! Me! Living in a house!" The Doctor exclaimed. I rolled my eyes at his dramatics. "Now that is terrifying."

"You'd have to get a mortgage." Rose teased in sing-song tone.

"No." The Doctor said, horrified.

"Oh, yes."

"I am dying. That's it. I am dying, it is all over." I laugh this time and shook my head.

"Oh, it won't be that bad. You'll have me." I told him as I linked our fingers together. "It could be fun, just another adventure really." He smiled and pressed a kiss to my temple.

"We could get one together. We could be flatmates!" Rose said excitedly. We sit in silence for a few moments.

"I promised Jackie I'd always take you back home." The Doctor said to Rose and I.

"Everyone leaves home in the end." Rose waved off but I bit my lip. I was bound to leave mum and Rose behind one day, only they wouldn't even know I was there in the first place.

"Not to end up stuck here." The Doctor replied.

"Yeah, but stuck with you two. That's not so back." I looked over to her.

"Yeah?" I questioned, slightly surprised.

"Yes." She said, sincerely. I grinned brightly before the moment was ruined by my phone ringing. I stared at it confused before answering it.

[Hello?]

[ _He is awake._ ] A male voice growled. My eyes widen in fear and flinged the phone away from me. The Doctor followed in before turning to me.

"Jessamine, what's wrong?" He asked me.

"It said 'He is awake.'" I repeated, my hands started to shake slightly.

"Who, Jessamine?"

"I've no idea but I have a really horrible feeling about it." I told him as we get up and head to Ood habitation. We bound down the stairs and find Danny at a computer.

"Evening!" The Doctor called cheerfully.

"Only us!" Rose said just as cheerful.

"The mysterious trio. How are you, then? Settling in?" He asked us.

"Yeah, sorry, straight to business, the Ood. How do they communicate? I mean, with each other." I looked over a balcony that looked into the area below us. The Ood were sat in what almost looked like an animal-pan. I glared at it in disgust. ' _Their treated worse than house-elves.'_  I thought as I turned back to the Doctor.

"Oh, just empaths." Danny shrugged. "There's a low level telepathic field connecting them. Not that that does them much good. They're basically a herd race. Like cattle."

"This telepathic field, can it pick up messages?" I inquired.

"Cos I was having dinner, and one of the Ood said something, well, odd." Rose explained.

"Oh. An odd Ood." Danny scoffed.

"Then I got something on my communicator." I added.

"Oh, be fair. We've got whole star systems burning up around us. There's all sorts of stray transmissions. Probably nothing." We stared at him far from being convinced. "Look, if there was something wrong, it would show. We monitor the telepathic field. It's the only way to look after them. They're so stupid, they don't even tell us when they're ill."

"Monitor the field," The Doctor nods to the computer. "That's this thing?" We read the screen and it says 'Basic 5'.

"Yeah. But like I said, it's low level telepathy. They only register Basic Five." While Danny was speaking, the reading began to rise.

"Well, that's not Basic Five." It continues to rise. "Ten. . .twenty. . ." The Doctor turns to Danny. "They've gone up to Basic Thirty."

"But they can't. . ."

"Doctor, the Ood." The Ood turned, as one, and looked up at the four us on the balcony. "What does Basic Thirty mean?"

"Well, it means that they're shouting, screaming inside their heads." Danny told her, baffled.

"Or something's shouting at them." The Doctor supplied quietly.

"But," Danny began to tap on the keyboard, "where's it coming from? What is it saying? I mean," He looked to Rose. "What did it say to you?"

Author Note: Hey, guys! I'm sorry I haven't updated Jessa for awhile. I've been really focused on Flora's story for the last year or so. But I will continue to work on Jessa, it'll just won't be as much as Flora. And I've decided to rewrite Jessa's story in Third Person Point of View. So, after this chapter it will be 3rd pov from now on and I will rewrite the other chapters in that view. So I hope you like this chapter!

~o~

"Something about the beast in the pit." She said. Danny blinks then turns to me.

"What about your communicator? What did that say?"

"He is awake." I replied.

"And you will worship him." We all turned to the Ood in shock.

"What the hell?"

"He is awake." The Doctor repeated.

"And you will worship him."

"Worship who?" There's no reply. "Who's talking to you? Who is it?" The entire base begins to shake causing us to be thrown around violently. We struggle to regain our balance.

" _Emergency hull breach. Emergency hull breach._ "

"Which section?" Danny shouts into wrist device, scared.

" _Everyone, evacuate Eleven to Thirteen, we've got a breach! The base is open. Repeat: the base is open!_ " The four of us get our feet and raced towards habitation area three.

" _Open Door Nineteen._ " We burst back into the canteen area and keep heading towards the control room. " _Close Door Nineteen._ "

" _I can't contain the oxygen field, we're gonna lost it!_ " We finally reached the others in a secured area.

"And you too, Toby!" Jefferson yelled as he pulls Toby through the door. He falls flat on his face as Jefferson slams the door shut.

"Breach sealed. Breach sealed."

"Everyone all right?!" The Doctor rushed over to them. "What happened? What was it?"

" _Oxygen levels normal._ "

"Hull breach!" Jefferson panted. "We were open to the elements. A couple of minutes and we'd have been inspecting that black hole at close quarters." Rose crouches to help Toby, who was sweating and panting on the floor. I quickly moved over to the Doctor, trying to get away from him as far as I could. He was giving off giant waves of wrongness.

"That wasn't a quake. What caused it?" The Doctor inquired as he wrapped an arm around my waist.

" _We've lost sections Eleven to Thirteen. Everyone all right_?"

"We've got everyone here except Scooti. Scooti, report." Static came from Jefferson's communication device. "Scooti Manista? That's an order. Report." Again there was only static.

" _She's all right._ " Jefferson and Ida breathed a sigh of relief. " _I picked up her biochip, she's in Habitation three. Better go and check if she's not responding, she might be unconscious._ " I glanced over at Toby and noticed him looking over his hand, turning them over and over again.

" _How about that, eh? We survived._ "

"Habitation three, come on, I don't often say this, but I think we could all do with a drink. Come on." Everyone but Toby, the Doctor, Rose, and I followed after them. The Doctor crouches down next to Toby, who still looks severely shaken.

"What happened?" He asked him.

"I don't - I dunno, I - I was working and then I can't remember. All - all that noise, the room was falling apart, there was no air-" He spoke fast, very flustered. I still stood at the other end of the corridor, not wanting to get closer to the man. He felt wrong and smelt like death.

"Come on. Up you get. Come and have some Protein One." Rose said as she helped Toby to his feet. She linked her arm through his and walked him down the corridor.

"Oh, you've gone native." The Doctor said as he held a hand out me. I took it and we slowly followed after them.

"Oi, don't knock it. It's nice. Protein One with just a," Rose snaps her fingers, "dash of Three." The canteen was in slight chaos when we arrived. The group was looking for Scooti, all talking over each other.

"Have you seen Scooti?" Jefferson asked us as we walked in.

"No, no, no, I don't think so." Toby stuttered out.

"Scooti, please respond, if you can hear this please respon - Habitation six." I moved into the middle of the room and looked up, spotting Scooti floating outside heading towards the black hole.

"I've found her." Everyone went quiet.

"Oh, my God. . ." I hear Rose mutter.

"Sorry. I'm so sorry." The Doctor told them but the room remained quiet.

"Captain, report Officer Scootori Manista PKD, deceased. 43K 2.1" Jefferson reported to Zach.

"She was twenty," Ida said. "Twenty years old." She goes over to the controls and pulls the lever to close the shutters. Scooti's body drifting further and further away towards the black hole.

"For how should Man die better than facing fearful odds? For the ashes of his father and the temples of his Gods." Jefferson's voice drops to a whisper as the shutters closed completely. A strange silence falls over the room.

"It's stopped," The was a distance crash.

"What was that? What was it?" Rose asked the Doctor.

"The drill."

"We've stopped drilling. We've made it. Point Zero." Ida added.

" _All non-essential Oods to be confined._ " We all head down to the exploration deck. The crew was preparing to do down the mineshaft.

"Capsule established. All systems functioning. The mineshaft is go, bring systems online now." I watched as the Doctor approaches Zach in a spacesuit.

"Reporting as a volunteer for the expeditionary force." He told him.

"Doctor, this is breaking every single protocol. We don't even know who you are." Zach replied.

"Yeah, but you trust me, don't you? And you can't let Ida go down there on her own. Go on, look me in the eyes. Yes, you do, I can see it. Trust." The Doctor teased.

"I should be going down."

"The Captain doesn't lead the mission. He stays here. In charge."

"Not much good at it, am I?" Zach asked, bitterly. The Doctor doesn't answer him, he just simply looks at him. Zach sighs. "Positions! We're going down in two. Everyone, positions!" I catch the Doctor's eye as he walks over to me. We stand facing one another, the Doctor checks a device on the wrist of the spacesuit.

"Oxygen, nitro-balance, gravity. It's ages since I wore one of these!" He said excitedly. I gave him a small smile.

"I want that spacesuit back in one piece, you got that?" I place a kiss to his lips.

"Yes, sir." He grins and puts the helmet on.

"Just be careful, Doctor. Whatever is going on here, it's blocking me from seeing who's supposed to die. So just be on your toes." I told him.

"I will." He cups my cheek with his hand. "I'll see you later."

"Not if I see you first." I laugh softly then pull his head down so I could place a hiss on his helmet.

" _Capsule active. Counting down in ten. . . nine. . . eight. . . seven . . . six. . ._ " The Doctor and Ida go into the capsule with Jefferson closing the door after them. " _Five. . . four. . . three. . .two. . ._ " Jefferson salutes them. " _One. . ._ " Rose and I wave, smiling to the Doctor and he waved back, returning the smile.

" _Release._ " The capsule descends down the shaft. I tossed a glanced over to Toby, who was sitting hunched in the corner. He was still very twitchy as he kept checking his hands. He was reminding me off Moody's paranoia which was making me twitchy.

" _Gone beyond the oxygen field. You're on your own._ " Came Zach's voice.

"Don't forget to breath. Breathing's good." Rose said into the comm, obviously worried out of her mind as she starts demonstrating by taking deep breaths.

"Rose, stay off the comm." I said with a small chuckled as I take the comm from her. We watched the diagram on the computer screen, it indicated that the capsule has reached Point Zero. The whole base shakes as the capsule hits the ground. I quickly steady myself and grab the comm before Rose could.

"Doctor?" There's no reply. "Doctor, are you all right?"

" _Ida, report to me,_ " There's more silence. " _Doctor?_ "

" _It's all right, we've made it. Coming out of the capsule now._ " I breathe a sigh of relief as Rose hugs me tightly at the Doctor's response.

"What's it like down there?" Rose asked.

" _It's hard to tell. Some sort of cave. . . cavern. . . it's massive._ " The Doctor answered.

" _Well, this should help. Gravity globe._ " There was a moment of silence. " _That's. . . that's. . . my God, that's beautiful._ " Ida said, her voice filled with awe.

" _Jessamine. . .Rose, you can tell Toby we've found his civilisation._ " The Doctor replied. Rose turned to Toby, cheerfully.

"Oi, Toby! Sounds like you've got plenty of work."

"Good, good. Good." He muttered, distractedly.

" _Concentrate now, people. Keep on the mission. Ida, what about the power source?_ " Zach inquired.

" _We're close. Energy signature indicates north, north west. Are you getting pictures up there?_ "

" _There's too much interference. We're in your hands._ "

" _Well, we've come this far. There's no turning back._ " Both the Doctor and I groan at the woman's jinx.

" _Oh, did you have to? No turning back? That's almost as bad as 'Nothing can possibly go wrong" or "this is gonna be the best Christmas Walford's ever had'._ " Rose and I chuckled at the Doctor's ramble.

" _Are you finished?_ " They waited for the Doctor's response.

" _Yeah! Finished._ " I shake my head at the Doctor's antics.

" _Captain, sir. There's something happening with the Ood._ " Danny's voice came through Jefferson's wrist comm.

" _What are they doing?_ " Zach asked.

" _They're staring at m. I've told them to stop, but they won't._ " He said lowly.

" _Danny, you're a big boy. I think you can take being stared at._ " Zach replied at the childish answer.  
" _But the telepathic field, sir. It's at Basic One Hundred! I've checked, there isn't any fault. It's definitely one hundred._ " Danny said.

" _But that's impossible._ " Rose and I turned to Jefferson in confusion.

"What's Basic One Hundred mean?" Rose questioned.

" _They should be dead._ " Danny answered.

"Basic One Hundred is brain death." Jefferson explained further.

" _But they're safe? They're not actually moving?_ " Zach asked.

" _No, sir._ "

" _Keep watching them. And you, Jefferson, keep a guard on the Ood._ "

"Officer at arms!" He readies his guns.

"Yes, sir."

"You can't fire a gun in here. What if they hit a wall?" Rose asked in concerned.

"I'm firing stock fifteen, only packs upon organics." Jefferson told her then turned to the guard. "Keep watch. Guard them."

"Yes, sir." She answered.

" _Is everything all right up there?_ " Rose and I shared a panic look.

"Super." I said into the comm.

"Yeah, yeah." Rose replied quickly.

" _It's fine_." Came Zach's voice.

" _Great_!" I rolled my eyes at Danny's sarcastic response.

" _We've found something._ " The Doctor reported. " _It looks like metal. Like some sort of seal. I've got a nasty feeling the word might be 'trapdoor'. Not a good word, 'trapdoor'. Never met a trapdoor I liked._ "

" _The edge is covered with those symbols._ " Ida said.

" _Do you think it opens?_ " Zach asked them.

" _That's what trapdoors tend to do._ " The Doctor snarked.

" _Trapdoor doesn't do it justice. It's massive, Zach. About thirty feet in diameter._ " Ida answered.

" _Any way of opening it?_ "

" _I don't know. I can't see any sort of mechanism._ "

" _I suppose that's the writing, that'll tell us what to do. The letters that defy translation._ " The Doctor supposed.

" _Toby, did you get anywhere with decoding it?_ " Zach asked him. I looked over to him.

"Toby," I called to him softly. "They need to know what that lettering means. Does it make any sort of sense?" He kept his head in his arms, still crouched in the corner.

"I know what it says." My eyes widen at the deep voice that came from him. I glanced at the others but they didn't seem to notice the change.

"Then tell them." Rose demanded.

"When did you work that out?" Jefferson inquired.

"It doesn't matter, just tell them." I grab Rose's shoulder as Toby stood up. He turned towards us, revealing that he was covered in the ancient symbols, his eyes a blood red.

"His eyes." I whispered in panic, "Oh Merlin, his eyes." I froze in my spot as those eyes brought back unwanted memories.

"These are the words of the Beast." We stared at him in shock. "And he has woken." Jefferson points his gun at Toby. "He is the heart that beats in the darkness, he is the blood that will never cease. And now he will rise."

"Officer, stand down." Jefferson ordered. "Stand down!" Toby flexes his arms. "Officer, as commander of security, I order you to stand down and be confined. Immediately!"

"Doctor, he's got those symbols all over his face." I said into the comm. "His eyes, though. . ."

"Mr. Jefferson, tell me, sir. Did your wife ever forgive you?" Toby asked Jefferson suddenly.

"I don't know what you mean." He replied, although the hesitant in his tone said otherwise.

"Let me tell you a secret: she never did."

"Officer," Jefferson swallowed, "you stand down and be confined."

"Or what?"  
"Or under the jurisdiction of Condition Red, I am authorised to shoot you." He aimed his gun at Toby.

"But how many can you kill?" His eyes light up and his mouth opens in a low roar as the symbols evaporate off his skin and leave him as swirls of black smoke. The smoke enters the Ood, who jerk as the Beast possesses them. Toby coughs and collapses to the ground as Jefferson points his gun at the three Ood next to us.

"We are the Legion of the Beast." The Ood said as one. "The Legion shall be many. And the Legion shall be few." I could hear in the background as Jefferson and Rose try to talk to Zach and the Doctor. "He has woven himself in the fabric of your life since the dawn of time."

"Some may call him Abaddon. Some may call him Krop tor. Some may call him Satan. Or Lucifer or the Bringer of Despair, The Deathless Prince. The Bringer of Night. These are the words that shall set him free." We started to back away from the advancing Ood.

"Back up to the door!" Jefferson shouted.

"I shall become manifest."

"Move quickly!"

"I shall walk in might."

"To the door!" We backed up against the door. "Get it open!"

"My Legions shall swarm across the worlds." The whole base starts to shake as the Ood continued to advance towards us. "I am the sin and the temptation. And the desire. I am the pain and the loss and the dead will come."  
"Get that door open!" Jefferson yelled at the guard. The door won't budge no matter how desperately we try to open it. Jefferson keeps his gun aimed on the Ood, but they ignored it.

"I have been imprisoned for eternity. But no more."

" _Door sealed._ "

"Come on!" Rose shouted at the door.

" _Door sealed._ "

"The Pit is open. And I am free."


End file.
